Scientific Management and Human Relations Perspective - Australian Social Work - Case Study Example

Scientific Management and Human Relations Perspective: Australian Social Work By Management The of the School (University) The City and State where it is located The Date Introduction Social welfare is one of the key considerations that need to be made prior to the commencement of any given organization. One of the ways through which social welfare is considered is its overall influence on the management of human resources. Social work and welfare are all vital considerations of employees in that the various corporations need to take into deep consideration. Social work in organizations mostly emphasizes on the organizational needs to comply with employee rights. In Australia, social work and welfare are not just any other topic. In fact, they are largely emphasized in most organizations as the governing strategies employed in ensuring quality and compliance. Scientific Management Perspective Frederick Winslow Taylor developed one of the key theories of management in 1910, which is a management principle that is largely aimed at increasing efficiency in the organization. This approach is mainly used in production plants, where minimization of wastage, increased organizational efficiency and the use of empirical methods to make decisions. This collectively creates a principle known as economic efficiency, which minimizes wastage while increasing efficiency with any given organization. The application of the management perspective is highly evident in several cases of this analogy such as the application of empiricism, or the empirical methods within the organization. One of the key ways through which the use of social workers in the corporate world is an aspect of scientific management, is the fact that the management understands that emotions are a critical determinant of workplace efficiency and productivity. The use of social workers within the organization offers counseling and conflict resolution models that promote the reduction of wastage of time. It also increases efficiency since a satisfied working environment within the corporate world would lead to the creation of more effective teams. Additionally the application empiricism is also evident in that instead of using the human resource manager to focus on social issues in the lives of the workers, they apply the use of the skilled expertise with more experience to handle such issues. Human Services Perspective The human services perspective however concentrates on the view of employees as social beings with emotional needs and not merely as units of productions or assets to the organization. This perspective thus emphasizes on the need for the respect of social needs of employees. Crafted through the consideration of the works of Abraham Maslow and Douglas McGregor, the theory thus concentrates on the creation of social networks within organizations. In this perspective, the introduction of social workers in corporations in Australia thus promotes a working environment that has wide social networks, with the development of sound teams and the use of expertise, which can thus be applied in the improvement of the work environment and the solving of organizational conflicts as well. The behavioral point of view presented by the management through the introduction of social work in corporations thus presents a level of expertise that is mainly aimed at promoting better social lives for the employees. Social workers have for long been ignored in organizations as the crucial components they actually are. Human services are thus being dissected to fit in new positions that should be held by social workers. Social workers in Australia are now being assigned to key organizational management positions and the future of the social work discipline in such organization is quickly improving (Healy, 2001, p.527). The key reason why the future of social workers in organizational management positions is bright is due to the increased global understanding of equality rights as well as to manage the diversity culture that has been growing in the past few years. Social justice principles are interconnected with social working environments where the principles used by social workers in assisting people feel more comfortable and pushing the society to give the various rights to all individuals within the environment. The need for creation of hospitable work environments in the world, with much greater emphasis being in Australian organizations, social work is now an indispensable working environment. Currently, most social workers work in the not-for-profit sector in Australia. Regardless, the organization need for social workers have however stimulated efforts to add more social workers into the organizations, even giving them organizational management position in exchange for their skills. The social justice principle thus creates more social networks hence emphasizing the amplification of the human services perspective of the move to introduce social workers in such organizations. In a research conducted by Healy (2001) managers who held social work backgrounds were championing equality, social justice values and progressiveness in the workforce and organizational productivity as well, which thus led to the determination of social work as a crucial organization component. Progressive management is a key virtue held by most social workers. Social work and its influence in organization in not only championing justice within the system but also promoting organizational progressiveness and compliance to preset organization growth and development goals has made social work a key organizational component, or both organizational reputation in CSR strategies and professionalism, in terms of employee rights compliances. The changes in the employment trends from this decade and the previous decades show that social work is being highly appreciated. The trend indicates that more people from social work disciplines are being selected and appointed to high managerial positions with the key focus being on the overall performance of these organizations (Healy 2004, p.103). The various acts among corporations that have led to their failures are mostly focused on human services, such as child labor, which not only affects the reputation of organizations but have also seen some organizations tackle lawsuits and lose their market share due to such inconsistencies (Whittaker, 2011, p.482). Issues such as child labor thus are social issues of justice that thus leads to the viewpoint of the human services perspective. Secondly, according to Prosser and Olson (2013), professional social work has been adopted as a model to assess the internal business challenges, particularly pertaining to the human resources, establish solutions and create a system where such inconsistencies can be largely avoided. Social work thus extends beyond the common management practices that advocate for an increase in organizational efficiency. The introduction of social work has thus made working in these organizations much easier as presented by Prosser and Olson (2013) which thus shows the scientific management principles embedded in the use of social workers in corporate markets. However, the appointment of social workers in key organizational positions has been met with much doubt. For instance, a study conducted by Jackson and Donovan (1999) show that most social work organizations, especially the small not-for-profit organizations struggle with their management and as such, they often outsource or contract their work both from public and private clients to other organizations. In such a context, it is evident that social work and organizational performance cannot go hand in hand. However, the consideration of the argument presented by the authors ignores the fact that most social workers lack the basic business operation education. Their study, Jackson and Donovan (1999), explores an educational framework, where managers in these not-for-profit organizations can employ strategies to Manage to Survive, within their areas of discipline. Arguably, social workers in most organizations, despite being given key management roles are only entrusted with human services and not operations or any other business process that grosses the organizations considerable revenues. In such a context, social workers are needed within organizations to facilitate the smooth running of operations human services and employee relations management as opposed to having them hold strategic business management processes that focus on sustainability and growth. Social workers working hand in hand with human resource managers produce the most satisfied and equally productive workforce an organization needs, hence deeming their need in organizations as indispensable. The reduction of waste and the economic aspect presented through the development of communication and teamwork efficiency in the organization brings in the scientific management perspective of social workers being used in the various networks. Social workers thus possess the level of compassion most people in businesses lack. Their compassion can be used into profitable uses, which thus explain the surge in the trends of employment of social workers, who have previously held voluntary employment positions to organizational management positions in the contemporary businesses. Some of the organizations that mostly employ people with social work backgrounds for professional purposes as opposed to voluntary not-for-profit services are the human services sectors (O’Connor & Netting, 2009, p. ix). Organization cultures and structures are the current key determining factors on organizational productivity and success levels. Additionally, organizational practice that is focused on human services is more productive as compared to organizations that are solely inclined to products alone. Social workers in organizations who have been entrusted with the human services are mostly employed in the organizations to facilitate workplace and job satisfaction, which thus in return creates stability in tenure. Human services comprise a critical role in various organizational practices and a social one as well. Human services in real and virtual organizations is highly influential to organization success, since success levels, product marketability, customer relations and other similar critical areas rely on human services. With social work promising organizations more effective human services delivery, the organizations in these areas will deliver more promising services which thus can all contribute to not only higher levels of employee welfare but also increased efficiency and productivity in these organizations. Alternatively, assessing the key roles taken by management in various organizations and their overall influence on the organizational performance also sheds light on why more social workers are exiting the human services industry to organizations instead. The change in the social structure of the world, with the coming of ICT for instance has deemed the social workers almost workless. With technology facilitating most social activities, social workers are transitioning from working in ‘social’ environment to working in the ‘informational’ industry, which thus has led them to seek other avenues to offer their services (Parton, 2006, p.253). Changes in the social structure has thus brought in major challenges to the discipline which has thus seen more social workers go into the contemporary business world to offer their services or combine their social work knowledge with business courses to better work in these environments. Social workers face stiff competition, outside school, from people who pursued other courses and took a post school course that enables them to offer social services to Australian communities (Cortis, 2012, p.295). The relationship between social work and other educational courses similar to the course have thus pushed most social workers to seek other courses that makes them better qualified for such positions. The lack of clarity on what features or values to search for in most of these organizations has thus led to the development of strong arguments that pose the question of whether social work as a discipline is dying. Coincidentally, the need for social work even in organization has increased greatly, which has thus seen more social workers exit their professions and seek opportunities in the corporate world. Managerialism is a term introduced by Tsui and Cheung (2004) which primarily focuses on the need for better management systems. According to the article, good management (managerialism) is largely needed in the human services sector. With the increase in competition as well as the rise of globalization, diversity in the workplace has made the management of human services increasingly hectic that thus has steered organizations to seek and establish alternative ways through which they can manage their human resources more efficiently. Rising expectations from the world, such as equal employment opportunities, increasingly competitions and shrinking budgets, are the key drivers that have led to the need to better manage human services within organizations more well, in order to boost productivity, increase efficiency and enforce teamwork within these organizations. Managerialism is being seen as the solution towards the human services menace in the industry. Supervision has been presented as a key initiative that needs to be employed in small-scale human service organizations as presented by Jackson and Donovan (1999), but the use of professional supervision can be applied in the human services industry as a whole. Government ministries that offer social services and welfare for the population for instance require supervision. Supervision has been argued to be the key to the management of organizations in the corporate world and this translated into the social services arena would have more social workers retained and better service delivery promoted for all citizens to benefit from (Chiller & Crisp, 2006, p.21). Professional supervision can promote social worker retention in most government organizations and NGOs providing social work. The Australian business world is also appointing social workers into organizations as a way to improve the knowledge they possess in order to assist them better social services in the government. The use of role models and role model services has been entrusted to not only provide better services but to also act as a way to promote business apprenticeship among social workers in the delivery of social services. With globalization and reduced spending, the governments of various countries are seeking ways to administer human services effectively with dignity and fairness (Baines, 2006, p.20). The level of inequality in administering social services is one of the key features of the world’s sociopolitical environment. The changes in administration of social services, welfare and human services require to be restructured as presented by Baines (2006). Social workers also require to be improved marginally, through the inclusion of professionalism in management of social work and human services. According to Watson (2001), through increased organizational scrutiny and control, social workers can be evaluated through the development of a performance measurement system, which would improve the administration of human services in a more efficient manner. Administration and adherence to quality in social and human services is needed in the Australian government and the entire world as whole. The Australian government argues that having organizationally qualified social workers is thus one of the key ways through which this change can be enacted. With social workers working in the business world, a need for quality, efficiency and productivity is deemed important, key features that can be translated into the national social work initiatives thus increasing efficiency in resource allocation. According to Chiller and Crisp (2012) most social workers have left their professions to pursue other business interest or join the corporate world for a number of reasons. The lack of integrity, efficiency and workplace satisfaction in the previous fields are some of the key reasons why most social workers have left their profession to pursue other interests. However, a few still persist in the industry arguing that their passion is the key reason why they still hold their positions of employment in these organizations (Gray & Crofts, 2008 p.89). However, in the case Australia, professional supervision could just be the right solution to the social work and social services administration. Another key consideration is the overall role of social work in contemporary organizations. Despite the fact that most human services organizations are poor at their performance, corporation currently understand the need of social workers in their organization. With most social workers exiting their social work jobs and pursuing corporate jobs, the consideration of hiring the social workers is not focused on placing them in departments where they are not suited, but rather to manage the human services within the organization. The increase in need for work-life balance, where employee stress which could emanate from personal dealings or organizational stress, has stimulated the need of social workers within corporate organizations (Kalliath, Hughes & Newcombe, 2012, p.355). Organizational stress has resulted in psychological strain, which largely affects productivity among most employees. The increase in need for work family conflict reduction in organizations to foster hospitable working environments and likewise increased productivity has thus deemed social workers or employees with a social work background very much needed within these organizations. The rates of work to family conflicts (WFC) or family to work conflicts (FWC) in Australia has greatly increased in the last few years, which has thus deemed social work an important field that needs to be adopted by most organization. Additionally, with the increase in number of female employees, in a bid to increase diversity at the workplace and gender equality, women are adversely affected by such issues and as such, social work in organizations has been deemed as important as it is to the government (Kalliath, Hughes & Newcombe, 2012, p.25). Conclusion Seemingly, social work is critical area, and it is indispensable in any given setting. The influence of social work extends from the government perspective to private arenas, such as the contemporary workplace. The profession grow steadily in the past few years, despite the assumption that it is a dying field. Social workers in organizational management positions is now not a surprising thing. Despite their business knowledge, their understanding of the discipline is very crucial to organizational productivity and job satisfaction, which thus explains why the industry is seeking social workers for professional purposes. The professionalization of the social work industry in the public sector is also a new trend that will see social services disbursement being more effective, hence assisting people cope effectively with the changing economic atmosphere. References Baines, D 2006, ‘If You Could Change One Thing: Social Service Workers and Restructuring’ Australian Social Work, vol. 59, no. 1, pp.20-34. Chiller, P, & Crisp, B 2012, Professional Supervision: A Workforce Retention Strategy for Social Work?, Australian Social Work, 65, 2, pp. 232-242. Cortis, N, & Meagher, G 2012, Social Work Education as Preparation for Practice: Evidence from a Survey of the New South Wales Community Sector, Australian Social Work, 65, 3, pp. 295-310 Gray, M, & Crofts, P 2008, Social Development and its Relevance to Australian Social Work, Australian Social Work, 61, 1, pp. 88-103 Gray, M, & Webb, S 2008, Social work as art revisited, International Journal Of Social Welfare, 17, 2, pp. 182-193. Healy, K 2002, ‘Managing Human Services in a Market Environment: What Role for Social Workers?’ British Journal of Social Work, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 527. Healy, K 2004, ‘Social workers in the new human services marketplace: Trends, challenges and responses’, Australian Social Work, vol. 57, no.2, pp.103-114. Jackson, A. & Donovan, F 1999 Managing to survive, Allen and Unwin, Australia, pp. 127-153 Netting & O’Connor, MK. (2003) “The ever-changing landscape of organisation and human services”, in Organisation Practice: a social worker’s guide to understanding human services, Pearson, Boston, pp.5-28 Jones, A & May, J 1992, Working in human service organisations, Longman Australia, Melbourne. Kalliath, P, Hughes, M, & Newcombe, P 2012, When Work and Family are in Conflict: Impact on Psychological Strain Experienced by Social Workers in Australia, Australian Social Work, 65, 3, pp. 355-371. Parton, N. 2008 ‘Changes in the Form of Knowledge in Social Work: From the Social to the Informational?’, British Journal of Social Work, vol. 38, no.2, pp.53-269. Prosser, B, & Olson, R 2013, Changes in professional human care work: The case of nurse practitioners in Australia, Health Sociology Review, 22, 4, pp. 422-432 Tsui, M. & Cheung, F 2004, ‘Gone with the Wind: The Impacts of Managerialism on Human Services’, British Journal of Social Work, vol. 34, no. 3, pp.437-442. Watson, D 2002, ‘A critical perspective on quality within the personal social service: prospects and concerns’, British Journal of Social Work, vol. 32, pp. 877-891 Whittaker, A 2011, Social defenses and organizational culture in a local authority child protection setting: challenges for the Munro Review?’ Journal of Social Work Practice, 25, 4, pp. 481-495 Read More