Social work is a meaningful professional activity, and the demand for it in society is growing due to various anticipated social processes and unexpected changes in society.
Social service workers face a wide range of challenges and complex situations, but they must always strive to remain productive, responsive, and empathetic professionals.
The provision of social services in our institution is based on the principle of teamwork. Smooth cooperation, mutual understanding, and the well-being of every employee within the team are essential to ensuring the high quality of the services we provide.
In order to support employees’ psychological well-being at work, and taking into account the challenges of working during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, we included an employee psychological well-being survey in the 2021 Annual Plan of the Valakampiai Social Services Home.
The employee well-being survey at the Valakampiai Social Services Home was conducted in February–March by psychologist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurgita Lazauskaitė-Zabielskė, Head of the Organizational Psychology Research Centre at Vilnius University.
The institution’s employees were invited to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. A total of 98% of all employees participated in the survey. The study examined how employees assess working conditions within the organization and their own strengths, as well as how these factors affect employee well-being (engagement and exhaustion), work performance, and their relationship with the organization.
The survey results were presented to the employees via the Zoom platform.
The survey results pleasantly surprised us. It was found that the work motivation of employees at the Valakampiai Social Services Home is higher than that of the average employee in the European Union. Although employees indicated that their work is emotionally demanding, they are able to maintain a good balance between their work and family life. The survey also revealed a high level of prosocial motivation among employees, as well as a strong commitment to developing their skills and striving for professional growth.
The level of employee engagement in our institution is high – 77%. It can be maintained and further increased by:
• maintaining a positive relationship with the manager
• providing feedback on the impact of the work on clients, the community, and society
• maintaining personal optimism
Employee burnout level is 61%. It can be reduced by:
• maintaining a healthy work-life balance
• reducing emotional stress
Pasitenkinimo organizacija lygis – 86%, jį didinti galima:
• maintaining a positive relationship with the manager
• taking care of employee well-being
• reducing emotional stress.
3 things we are pleased with:
- A higher-than-average level of employee engagement, based on EU employee engagement benchmarks and trends in the Lithuanian public sector.
- An optimal balance between job demands and resources, indicating a potentially well-balanced work environment.
- Employees’ desire to benefit others through their work and their optimism.
3 things we focus on:
- Strengthening relationships between employees and managers (positive feedback, response to setbacks, learning and resource needs)
- Strengthening communication about the impact of our work on clients and society
- Caring for employee well-being
The positive results regarding employee well-being are encouraging; however, we also see opportunities for further improvement in promoting employees’ psychological well-being in the workplace. We have committed to strengthening cooperation between managers and employees and therefore plan to hold annual employee review meetings after six months. During these meetings, employees and their managers will have the opportunity not only to discuss the completion of annual tasks and professional development, but also to talk about their well-being, work-related concerns, challenges, achievements, and professional aspirations. We also plan to review and update the Employee and Resident Safety and Health Plan.
A positive psychological climate within an organization and employees’ psychological well-being cannot be created in a week or a month; it is an ongoing process. It is important to recognize that the quality and continuous improvement of services, employee retention, and the transfer of good practices to less experienced colleagues largely depend on employees’ psychological well-being.
Let us create a positive atmosphere and a friendly work environment so that our work brings us both self-fulfilment and joy.
Virginija Paulauskytė
Deputy Director for Social Affairs
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