Supervisor Hack for Productive Stress Free Social Work Environments

Build trusting work relationships with supervised staff. “Relationship with immediate supervisor” is one of the top indicators of job satisfaction according to the 2016 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management. The survey also found that “trust between employees and senior management” was also important to employee satisfaction.

Satisfied employees are more relaxed and better able to deliver high quality services. In this era of budget cuts and sequestration, social service agencies have the burden of doing more with very few resources. Social workers are overwhelmed with stress as they attempt to assist families as societal problems spiral.

Supervisors can decrease the level of stress in the work environment by developing healthy, positive work relationships with each staff member. Positive supervisor/employee relationships will also increase feelings of trust which is vital to productivity and stress relief.

Supervisors can engage in deliberate conversations to build positive relationships. Supervisors can use the following questions to get started. Avoid assumptions by having real and genuine conversations. Use interviewing and active listening skill to gain the answers to each question for supervised employees.

What knowledge, skills, and experience does the employee have that will benefit the workplace?
What are the employee’s professional goals? How can I help them achieve those goals?
What motivates the employee to accomplish work related responsibilities?
How can I best communicate work related expectations, feedback?
How can I best communicate professional care and concern?
What does the employee need from me to feel successful and an integral part of the team?

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