Perception of Psychological Well-being of Social Workers in Social Welfare Institutions

Cilj ovog rada je ispitati povezanost indeksa psihološke dobrobiti socijalnih radnika u ustanovama socijalne skrbi s njihovim zadovoljstvom poslom te doživljajem sukoba radnih i obiteljskih obveza. Dobiveni rezultati prikupljeni on-line anketom na uzorku od 123 socijalna radnika zaposlena u nekoj od ustanova socijalne skrbi u RH, potvrdili su postojanje povezanosti između indeksa psihološke dobrobiti socijalnih radnika i doživljenog sukoba radnih i obiteljskih obveza u oba smjera; rad-obitelj i obitelj-rad, kao što je potvrđeno i postojanje povezanosti između interferencije rada na obitelj i zadovoljstva poslom socijalnih radnika, no ne i kada se radi o smjeru interferencije obitelji na rad. Ipak, nije potvrđena statistički značajna povezanost između indeksa psihološke dobrobiti i zadovoljstva poslom na ovom uzorku socijalnih radnika. Naposljetku su sami sudionici istraživanja dali konkretne prijedloge za poboljšanje vlastite dobrobiti na svom radnom mjestu i to vezano za sljedeća područja; radni uvjeti, ljudski resursi, nadređeni, status profesije i socijalnih radnika te međusektorska suradnja. Potonje može poslužiti kao podloga budućim istraživanjima koja će se baviti kako dobrobiti socijalnih radnika tako i zaštitnim čimbenicima u njihovom radnom okruženju što smatramo da bi dugoročno doprinijelo, ne samo profesionalnom i osobnom razvoju socijalnih radnika već i boljem cjelokupnom sustavu socijalne skrbi.The present study explored the relationship between psychological well-being of social workers in social welfare institutions, their job satisfaction and finally Work-Family Conflict. Responses were collected using on-line questionnaires, in a study involving 123 Croatian social workers employed in some of the social welfare institutions, have shown significant inverse relationship between psychological well-being of social workers and work-family conflict, including work-on-family conflict and family-on-work conflict, as well as it was found that work-on-family conflict had significant effects on job satisfaction, but family-on-work conflict did not. Also the findings did not confirm the relationship between overall psychological well-being of social workers in this study and their job satisfaction. Finally, the respondents were giving the answers to an open-ended question where they were giving recommendations for improving their own well-being at their working place which includes following areas;work conditions, human resources, supervisors, status of profession and social workers, intersectoral cooperation. Which could contribute to the future studies that will be exploring the well-being of social workers as well as their protective factors in their work-environment what we think could benefit not just to the professional but also for the personal development of social workers in long-term and better social welfare system in general