Working Conditions, Professional Discretion, and Resistance of Frontline Social Workers

This study examines 21st century social workers' working conditions through the lens of neoliberalism, a political and economic ideology that has profoundly shaped the delivery of social services in the United States. This study explores the working conditions, professional discretion, and resistance to neoliberal managerialism of direct line workers. A statewide survey was sent out to all licensed social workers in Minnesota, and 2,329 direct line social workers responded. Results show that social workers most feel the managerialist pressures of productivity and efficiency and standardization of practice, and to a lesser extent the pressures of incentives and sanctions as well as monitoring of their work. Full-time social workers are working an average of four unpaid hours per week. Professional discretion was also limited, especially related to macro, political, economic, and social areas of practice. While social workers are mostly resisting through talking among themselves and managers, almost half have organized in some way to address practice issues. Public employees were much more likely to be unionized than private-sector employees, but those not in unions showed great interest in joining. Further suggested research includes assessing the effects of managerialism on clients and how social work supervisors and executive directors experience and navigate managerialism.