Why You Should Hire a Social Worker
We know the stereotypes we see on TV put Social Workers into two buckets: case manager and therapist. But Social Workers do so much more! We lead companies, sit on boards, and create long-lasting social change by merging for-profit practices with human-centered approaches. And that’s why the Corporate Social Work Collective exists: to help carve a path and create connections so that more Social Workers can enter the business sector and make an impact. Social Workers who take this nontraditional path are what we call Corporate Social Workers.
You may not have previously realized how Social Workers make great candidates for many roles in your company. We’ve outlined a few reasons why you should hire Social Workers at your company.
We are a Great Fit for Human Resource Roles
Every company and organization should hire Social Workers into their Human Resources departments for a deep perspective on human behavior. The trends in human resources are swinging the pendulum to focus on employees first as the more important asset to an organization. We know if employees are happy, clients and customers will be treated better.
Some areas in HR where Social Workers make a good fit:
Leadership Development — More often than not, leaders are looking to gain soft skills, improve communication, and better understand their team.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion — Social Workers are trained in understanding systems change, oppression, and people-in-environment frameworks making them well suited to develop strategies and programs to serve underrepresented groups within companies.
People Strategy — We are awesome problem solvers and are great at seeing the big picture and developing a road map for how to get there.
Change Management — Social Workers are trained to come alongside people during difficult life changes, change management practitioners come alongside organizations during times of transition.
Employee Engagement or Experience — Social Workers can help build retention and engagement opportunities for employees. We understand what motivates people to feel connected.
We Have Loads of Transferable Skills
Social Workers have skills that every company needs. We are great at analyzing, outreach, program management, and facilitating. We have skills to help increase the emotional intelligence of companies wanting to focus on employee experience and retention. Our strengths perspective provides a keen eye that’s always focused on human behavior. And we are collaborative and excellent team players to boot! We are also experts at relationship building since much of our success in traditional roles rides on the trust we build with our clients and communities. Building these authentic relationships with partner companies, customers, and between employees is crucial to the foundation of any business, and Social Workers are more than equipped to foster this.
Let’s look at the work that Dr.Brené Brown is doing with Fortune 500 leaders. Her Dare to Lead book and Hub are bridging the gap between business and social work. She’s encouraging leaders to adopt the skills that Social Workers learn and teach. We have a holistic lens allowing us to see people as they are. We know people don’t check their messiness at the door before starting work. It’s time that companies recognize that we need people who understand people in our workplaces.
We increase your Corporate Social Responsibility
Recent buyer trends tell us people are putting more thought into their purchases. Shoppers are using their dollars to enforce political consumerism. They want to buy from companies that have ethical practices and are good neighbors in the community. Ultimately, these companies will be more successful than companies that are not conscientious of their broader impact.
Check out this article on business ethics. Understand that to be successful, companies must focus on more than just the quality of their product or service, according to Schroeder. Increasingly, consumers are looking for businesses with good products AND good ethics. For the consumer, the question is not just “what will this product do for me,” but “what will this product do for the world?” So, how do businesses tap into this type of demand, that is, the demand for goods and services produced with a socially sound conscience?
Social Workers are fully equipped to steer organizations and companies towards ethical, responsible business practices. Social Workers have a broader than average understanding of people, cultures, and social circumstances. Many of us have worked directly with people that are in hardship or otherwise disadvantaged. We are grounded in lifting people up by empowering them and shaping environments into places where all people can thrive. Our skills in needs assessment/program evaluation directly translate to impact analysis, thus giving us the ability to assess the impact of a corporation on its surroundings, both local and global.
We Bring a Diversity of Thought
Without us, you are missing out on the key component in making your company well-rounded. You don’t want all employees to have a business background. You need people who know about people! At the macro level, Social Workers look at systems and how they impact the individual/vulnerable groups. These systems include businesses/corporations, along with government/non-profit institutions. Having worked personally with these institutions, Social Workers use their big-picture, analytical lens to help build business practices that have a positive ripple effect on the broader community. Ultimately, when companies invest in their ethics and diversify their approaches, everyone wins.
The Bottom Line
People bring their whole selves to work, and because of our education and experience, Social Workers are best able to provide human-centered corporate practices. Social Workers have a place in corporations and organizations… to challenge, change, and evolve them for the better. This is why you, as a business, should hire a Social Worker!
