Terveyssosiaalityöntekijöiden työhyvinvointi muutosprosessissa

Authors

• Heli Tiirola Itä-Suomen yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2131-5442
• Leena Leinonen Itä-Suomen yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7055-4453
• Anna Metteri Tampereen yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3736-5172
• Sointu Riekkinen-Tuovinen https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7414-0033
• Riitta Vornanen Itä-Suomen yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1600-3893

Keywords:

Health social work, organizational change, well-being at work, leadership, self-direction

Abstract

In some wellbeing service counties reorganisation in health social work has been underway since 2023. The number of health social worker positions has declined as personnel have been redeployed to other areas of social welfare, thereby diminishing the social work resources available for healthcare-related functions. Research question is: How do health social workers describe changes in health social work and their implications for their own well-being at work? Health social workers (n=82) participated in a survey and the data was analyzed using content analysis applied on Ryan and Deci's self-directedness theory. Participants experienced a weakening of their perceived autonomy, competence, and, in their sense of community. They had no opportunity to participate in the change process, and that management and communication were experienced as inadequate. They described a marked decline in their well‑being, which in some cases resulted in sick leave. Some moved to other positions as a consequence.