Module 6

Work Environment
 • Economic and political factors
• See pg. 43 funding sources
• Clients and consumers
• Demand for services?
• good relationship with referral
External sources
environment • Monitoring competition
• Social and community expectations
• Accreditation
• Code of ethics
• Technological factors
 • Organizational goals
• Purpose, mission, philosophy
• Financial resources
• budgeting
Internal • Human resources
environment • Hiring, training, policy, diversity,
conflict management
• Structure and organizational
operations
• technology
 • Managerial style
• Culture and climate
• Workforce composition (full time/part
time/volunteers)
• Physical environment
Components of • Morale/Burnout
the Work
Environment • Think of your personal
experiences entering a business or
organization – what factors contributed
to your positive or negative first
impressions?
 • Participatory management – emphasis
on org as a team to effectively promote
services, communication, functioning
• Open management – collaboration
emphasized, input solicited and utilized
from all levels
• Hierarchical management – top down
Managerial approach with responsibility increasing
style as one moves up into higher levels
(very common)
• Flat organizational management – all
levels valued equally in decision
making
 • Influence attitudes, behaviors and
health of employees
• Climate: defined in terms of
employee’s perceptions of their work
environment
Culture and • Culture: shared values, beliefs and
climate behavioral norms in an org
• Turnaround can take a long time and
must be intentional
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA
54HWLZ2e4
 • Type of org, type of services, primary
problems of clients determine the
staffing needs – associates, BSW, MSW
• This can influence the perception of
the professionalization of this org
Workforce • Circular problems in staffing: high
Composition turnover - less experienced/qualified
workers hired, unable to keep up with
high caseloads/demands – leave the
job
• This can lead to worker
dissatisfaction and low morale
 PROS CONS
Cost saving Limited opportunities
for promotion
Flexibility for workers Workload may not
and org decrease
Pros and Cons Gives workers more Driven by needs of
diverse experience employers
of Part- Appealing to working ?
time/temp staff parents
Less stress about ?
advancement
 • Generally used in non-profits
• Formal – regular but unpaid, versus
informal – on ad hoc basis
• Pros – cost savings, closer contact with
Volunteers community, richness of experience,
more assistance for client population
• Cons – recruiting, training, evaluating
and monitoring volunteers takes time
of paid staff
 • Affects both employee and client morale
• Includes how space is set up, cleanliness,
age and functioning of furniture and
equipment, comfort in the environment
• Can be limited by funds
• Can reflect status
Physical • Ada compliance
environment • Ability to accommodate visual,
auditory, motor and linguistic
limitations
• https://www.ada.gov/
• https://twitter.com/CapeCodNPS
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L
hpUJRGrZgc
 • Can be affected by nature of work ie) child
welfare, poverty, DV, medical
• Symptom or component of burnout: a
state of malaise associated with overwork
• Large caseloads, long hours, difficult
clientele, low pay
• Emotional giving/compassion fatigue
Morale • Social policy change and funding
• Can cause physical symptoms, emotional
exhaustion, depersonalization,
dissatisfaction with personal work and
outcomes
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsaorj
Io1Yc
 • Inefficient workers, absenteeism, low
morale, unwillingness to pitch in, high
turnover
• Affects continuity of services, cost to
Orgs and hire and train constantly, decreased
quality of services
Burnout • Orgs can manage with workplace
perks, appreciation events, involving
workers in decision making
• Staff must also manage though self
awareness and self care
 • Systemic racism is present in all our
institutions, agencies and organizations
• Overt racism is still present in many
organizations
Racism in the • Covert racism/microaggressions are
Workplace also present in daily interpersonal
interactions
• Racism in the workplace has a
significant impact on climate, culture,
morale and employee retention