The Experiences of Social Workers in Corporate America

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of social workers in Corporate America, including their role in corporate social responsibility (CSR). The data collected was from four semi-structured interviews that lasted between 20 to 45 minutes each. Each participant was employed by or consulted for a large corporation and had roles in a variety of departments, including government affairs, internal consulting, talent and change management and leadership development. None of the participants had direct CSR responsibilities, however, each participant had experience with their CSR programs and valued them in their organizations. The study explored the participants’ responsibilities in their organization, and how their social work practice and skills were incorporated in their work. Themes from the data indicated that social workers are most valued in their organizations for their abilities to build relationships, effectively implement change and see things in a different perspective from their co-workers. Participants reported that they used their social work skills in their daily work even within their business roles, and believed that corporations could benefit from having more individuals with the social work perspective in their organizations. The findings in this study fill a gap in the current literature and may have implications for social work in corporate settings, in social work education, and in future social work research