BSW 09 FIELD OF SOCIAL WORK

INDUSTRY AND LABOR Personnel Social Work is a systematic way of helping individual and groups
Industrial social work is a specialized field of social work practice, addressing towards a better adaptation to the working situation. Social problems in an enterprise
human and social needs in the work place to ensure maximum productivity It is an arise whenever an individual employee or a group and the work situation cannot
area of service delivery. adapt to each other.

 According to Weiner 1963 “the professional role of the social worker in the Place of Social Work in Industry According to the study group organised by the
worId of work should be restricted to individual direct services. The Netherlands Government, a qualified social worker is necessary in an enterprise for
responsibilities of the social worker in industrial organisations are particularly the following reasons:
oriented to handling problems of industrial workers such as absenteeism, 1) their specialised training in the understanding of human problems, ability to
alcoholism etc. consider the human personality as a whole;
 According to the Dortmund reports social work in the industry has the aim to 2) their knowledge of the conditions of work;
help any individual or group to adapt in the work situation and meet the work 3) their knowledge of the worker’s life;
requirements, stimulate management to adapt the work situation to the social 4) their knowledge of the resources of the community;
needs of the employees to assist the work community as a whole to function 5) their professional secrecy; and
better. 6) their capacity for co-operation.

Social work in industry has a threefold aim, namely: Problems and Prospects Practice of social work in business and industry is
a) to help any individual or group to adapt to the work situation and to meet not without its share of hurdles and problems, some of which are enumerated
the work requirements; it may here be pointed out that the problems below:
arising for these individuals or groups may :
1) be caused by, or occur in the work environment; - A social worker in industry has to accept the fact that her/his job would be
2) have unfavorable effects on the work situation, although not limited by various factors. The limits could be professional by virtue of the
arising therefrom. job assignment, the organisational structure and by additional
b) to stimulate management to adapt the work situation to the social needs of assignments.
the employees.
c) to assist the work “community’’ as a whole to function in a better way - Industry has not always defined its needs where a social worker can fit in
as the logical resource person and the social workers have also not
Social welfare services in the field of modern industrial operations are generally identified tangible areas of service that are significant to industry. Further,
concerned with any of the following: there is still not a proper understanding of the type of social work skills
A. Efforts to establish or Improve Social Security, health and general welfare and knowledge, which are specifically transferable to Industry. A service
of employees and their families. becomes meaningful when there is a defined need and a defined service.
B. Finding the best suited worker for employers and the right job for workers
seeking employment.
C. The use of social workers to assist the employees and their families in
personal, health and financial problems and difficulties.
D. The development and maintenance of community welfare services.

PMTC SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT

BSW 09 FIELD OF SOCIAL WORK
- Many a time, the social workers may find themselves in a business that  ESCAP, The Economic and Social Commission for ASIA and the Pacific
does not cherish the same values that social work stands for. The value  UNICEF, The United Nation’s Children’s Fund
orientation of social work is that the resources of the society must be used  UNHCR. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
to bring about maximum opportunities for the individual, whereas that of  Amnesty International Philippines
business is profit.  UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund.

- Social workers today are appointed in large numbers as

welfare/personnel functionaries in industry. As such, they are more busy SOCIAL PLANNING.
carrying out their legal and administrative tasks rather than pure social
work tasks, hence they are not very much identified with social workers  Social planning emphasizes the application of rational problem solving
working in other fields. techniques and data driven approaches to identify, determine and help
coordinate services for target populations. It is carried out by a myriad of
- The alignment of social work and personnel management, which was organizations from federal agencies to community organization attempting to
considered as a good combination once, as it gave a big boost to the solve social problems.
growth of social work profession, is now considered a bane of the  It is a process that involves local governments and community members
profession by many social work educators. The multiplicity of the tasks working together to address social issues and build healthy communities.
carried out by the personnel/welfare functionary does not allow him to Integrated with other types of planning, social planning focuses on the people
carry out his social work role. themselves in a community planning context.

- There are practical difficulties faced in the practice of the various social Incorporating social planning processes
work methods and they may have to be adapted and defined to the
Local governments may deliver social planning services in addition to including
peculiar needs of industry. Since the practice of these methods demands
policies in their official community plans. Some local governments feel that tackling
a lot of time and skill, the personnel functionaries, burdened with
the root of community social issues is a key component of the success of their
numerous responsibilities, do not always give adequate time and planning initiatives. They may hire social planners and bring social issues forward
emphasis to them. The management will ultimately judge the value of into the planning process including:
these methods to the extent they contribute to organisational objectives.
 Housing affordability and homelessness
 Accessibility and inclusion
INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WELFARE
 Poverty
 Multiculturalism
The term international social welfare is used to refer both to social welfare
 Supporting refugees
policies and programs around the world and to the academic study of
international social welfare activities. An emerging field of practice for Filipino  Children and child care
social workers is the field of international social welfare. Among these  Youth services
organizations are:  At-risk women and girls
 Seniors services

PMTC SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT

BSW 09 FIELD OF SOCIAL WORK
 Crime and public safety
 Substance abuse and addiction
 Food security

PMTC SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT