Abstract
Introduction: In the face of government austerity, service contract cuts, and changes to the Equal Pay Act in Aotearoa New Zealand, there is a need to consider the wellbeing of social workers to support, develop and retain this highly skilled workforce. However, little is known about the wellbeing and working experiences of social workers in the local context.
Method: This article reports on a subset of quantitative Aotearoa New Zealand data gathered as part of a global study related to the wellbeing and workforce conditions of social workers (n = 136). The article focuses on exploring the role of collegiality, workloads and managerial support.
Findings: Peer and collegial support is more frequently accessed than support from line managers, and analysis highlights that, in contrast to international experience, workload demands are not as chronic as has been reported in other nations. However, the findings indicate there is still work to do to support social worker wellbeing in the workplace, with more nuanced data and further qualitative research needed to better understand social worker workplace conditions and wellbeing.
Conclusions: Ultimately, a broader strategic organisational approach that tackles improving team cohesion and collegiality, workloads and management support is needed to ensure wellbeing in the workplace is prioritised and does not rely on individual efforts.