Supporting quality supervision: Insights for organisational practice

Abstract

This article reports on the findings of a mixed-method study exploring the experiences of supervision within Australian social work. It looks particularly at the ways in which organisational cultures support supervision as a mechanism of practice improvement. The research suggests the need to better understand performance within the practice and supervision sphere, and create ways in which workers can be acknowledged to develop their skills in a supportive organisational environment. It argues that within a neoliberal context, supervision has the potential to assist in the management of competing workplace demands.

Beyond monetary motivation: the moderation of Hofstede's cultural dimensions

“…Supervision is valuable for the usefulness of the transferable skills it imparts. Good, effective and quality supervision brings positive effects on employees and creates access to a clear pathway of support (Egan et al 2018). It provides employees with confidence in prioritizing and managing workloads, engagement with the job and the notion that their career practices are improved (Manthorpe et al , 2015).…”

Implementing a supervision model in community children’s mental health: Experiences of supervisors and practitioners.

“…Often reported, supervisors are rarely exposed to models of supervision grounded in theory and available evidence, nor do they have the benefits of specific, supervision training (Carpenter et al, 2013; Egan et al, 2018; Hoge et al, 2014; Wilkins et al, 2017). Rather, their practice is based on the supervision they have received as students or previously within their careers.…”

Child welfare worker wellness: An ethical imperative in the service of children

“…Because child welfare work involves heavy emotional demands and long hours, strong, supportive supervision within a functioning agency environment is crucial to help workers cope with the emotionally demanding work and to promote overall wellbeing. However, Egan et al (2016) found in Australia that while supervision can be helpful in reducing child welfare worker stress, supervisor accountability and organisational dynamics are important considerations in staff wellbeing as well. As the authors state, ‘The provision of supervision alone, however, is not necessarily enough to create a supportive organizational culture’ (Egan et al, 2016, p. 365), which suggests that organisational dynamics as a whole, including but not limited to supervision, are important for supporting staff.…”