HI ( II I“! V x l \10 } —-‘O ‘ 91 wmmm CL 3+,urL? «:6 Wk}. chccoa a/KA «LAW fed, "EL/14W 06 Puéow Stu-404.12 LUr/‘ftflr‘m- )umylux 3%«4— .- 2; L""' ' ‘1‘“... I II ‘2'. ’z 9 I - I RETURNING HATERIA LS: . )V153‘~) I Place in too zjro op to , ! LJBRARJES . remove this check aut from 7 x 4—1..» your rex‘CIL‘. FL 'ES WIT! be chargec If back is ' reIurned aIIer the date _ ,! stamped selew, . t I l i 3 § ! g E i A STUDY OF MIGRANCY A _ < I 5; ‘ ‘ I I . i . ,9 “W Y . I \« AND REASONS FOR RESIGNATIONS Ci“ PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS ' -' ; v ‘ " g .5. ~ ‘I- . 3'! fl '." Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Social Work Degree I '1 Dr. Gwen Andrew Social Work 895 Spring 1966 Hobart Ingle Hershel Kuipers Molly Pinsince Scott Reyburn ; .I'L .‘4 A-r‘UM—‘u-J _ .\ I “-34—- Y "4-_,« c... D I F : nil...“ - Cf ‘25.). v— V 9A .2! ‘4 9* tr.» “7‘ W- .uv-vn. ‘ “"3"!" Inf-‘1‘” Abstract Forty seven professionally trained social workers who are now employed or who were formerly employed at state psychiatric facilities were asked by means of a questionnaire to give their reasons for resigning from these agencies, or why they would consider resigning. Data suggest that salary and promotion were the primary reasons, followed in importance by dissatis— faction with administration. Males were more concerned with salary and promotion than females, and as expected, females more often had personal reasons for resigning. Older workers were less influenced by salary and pro- motion than younger ones. A high degree of migrancy was hypothesized for professional workers. There was a ratio of 2.72 years per position for males and 3.07 years per position for females. A more accurate study of reasons for resignations could be done by individual interviews rather than a brief questionnaire. ale-'1 is. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Backgromd 0.0.0000000000000000000000000 1 Purpose OOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOO000.00.... LL IqethOd. 0.00.0.0....OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 5 Results O000.000.00.0000000000000000000 6 TableI O0.00.0.00...OIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 7 Results of X-Analysis of Primary Reasons for Resignations - First Choice Table II oco00.000000000000000oooooooco 8 Results of X‘Analysis of Primary Reasons for Resignatbns - First and Second Choice Implicatims ooooooooooooooooooooooooo 11 D180u8810n cooooooooooooooooooooeoooo 12 Bibliography ooooooooooooooooooooooooo 13 Background There is a new migrant worker on the American scene: not the sharecrOpper or the carnival trouper, but the social worker who settles briefly in one clinic and then goes to another where the pastures 1 As seem, if not greener, at least greener backed. new clinics open, they offer appointments with more prestige, higher salaries, more liberal fringe bene-, fits, shorter hours, or more professional satisfaction. Dr. Arnold M. Kallen points out in the December 1965 New Jersey District Branch Newsletter that this search for personal satisfaction leads to instability in the clinic. It is not unusual for a client to have several changes of workers during his contact with an agency. Although we advocate continuity of treatment, by migrancy we practice the opposite. It is difficult for a client to repeat his life history to a new worker. It is not enough for a new therapist to read the record. He must sense for him- self how the client says things and reacts to questions. But for the client, this is a wretched repetition of an old story, and a repeated and traumatic interruption of what is supposed to be a healthy and constructive relationship. l. "The Migrant Professional", Hospital and Community Psychiatry, March 1966. ‘1 a- i '1} . . . “ .—-—o—’ _ _-‘.___.4 -2- One solution is to keep raising salaries. In a study by graduate students in New York 78% of 272 fully trained psychiatric social workers beleived that salary was the greatest motivating force contributing to Job changing in the field of social work.2 William B. Tollen3 found that for 7&0 fully trained social workers the most frequently given of a choice of 19 reasons for resigna- tions were salary and better Jobs. 78% of the better Jobs also involved a raise in salary. 0f the 209 fully trained male resignees, better job, salary, advancement, moving and supervision were the five leading basic reasons reported in order of descending frequency. Better Job, moving, supervision, maternity, and program policies were the five leading reasons for resignations reported by the 531 fully trained female resignees. The median salary for new graduates has risen from $6,000 in 1963 to $6,500 in 1865, an 18 percent increase over the past five years.“ But the current 2. "Determinants for Job Changing - A Pilot Study", group thesis for the M.S.W. degree at the New York School of Social Work, June 1957. 3. Study of Staff Losses in Child Welfare and Family Service Agencies, U. S. Department of Health Education and Welfare, Social Security Administration, Children's Bureau, 1960. 4. Deborah Golden, "Selected Characteristics of NASW Members: The Third Study", Personnel Information, NASW, March 1966. Volume 9 Number 2. n: . i:- . a -3- median for recent graduates is $1,700 below the $8,200 average salary offered in business administration and industrial management to persons without previous ex- 5 perience who have completed a master's degree. Another solution may be to reduce the time required for treatment by the use of new treatment methods as advocated by Parad andothers.6 Other solutions offered as means of retaining staff and reducing turnover are the team approach7, a differ- 8 ential use of staff and more imaginative use of 9 professionally trained staff. Supervision and adminis- trative practices appear to be frequent causes of worker dissatisfaction.10 5. Salary Survey. Report No. l, Bethlehem, Pa.: College Placement Council, January 1966. 6. Howard J. Parad, Editor, Crisis Intervention, Family Service Associatinn of America, New York: FASA, 1965. 7. David G. Gil, ”Social Work Teams”, Child Welfare, October 1965. 8. Mary R. Baker, "Approaches to a Differential Use of Staff", Socia;:Casework, April 1966. 9. Gertrude Leyendecker ”A Comprehensive Staff DevelOpment Program”, Social Casework, December 1965. 10. Virginia 3. Ferguson, "Personnel Policies and Practices”, Encyclopedia of Social Work, New York: National Associatinn of Social Workers, 1965. .5. In ‘— The purpose of the study was to explore the degree to which the condition of the migrant social worker exists and the reasons for the professional migrancy. ilt is believed that there are several 3; factors that influence social workers to change positions frequently. Some employees leave an agency for non- Job related purposes, i.e., to have a baby or to go with a husband who is leaving the area. But of those figs who left or who plan to leave for the purpose of taking another position, it was expected that salaries in the new position or the position an employee was contemplating would be higher generally than in the present position, and that the raise in salary would be a principal reason for the change. Other reasons expected were potential for promotion,administrative practices, unplesant physical surroundings, too great or too little degree of pathology of clients, treat- methods and goals incompatible with institutional _1 administration, and desire to more to another geo- P' graphical area. A social worker is defined as a worker who has obtained a master's of social work degree. Agency is defined as an agency which employs social workers to work with clients. The agencies in this study are '3?“ i, 1.5!“ ., .— -5- the Psychiatric Clinic at Jackson State Prison, the West Shore Mental Health Clinic, and the Social Service Department of the Ypsilanti State Hospital. Clients are the peeple served by these agencies. The fundamental hypothesis is that salary is a primary,.but not the only reason for social workers' frequent change of positions. Method Data were obtained by means of a questionnaire which contained identifying information: age, sec, year of M.S.W., number of positions since M.S.W., and reasons for leaving. Of the thirteen choices of reasons, respondents were requested to rank the first five in order of importnace, 1 being the most important. The thirteen reasons were categorized into three groups as follows: 1. PROMOTION - SALAEY To earn a higher salary (without a significant change in status or responsibility). Potential for promotion in another agency. Promotion (offer of a better position in another agency). 2. ADMINISTRATION Dissatisfaction with immediate supervisor. Dissatisfaction with administration. Social work treatment methods and goals incompatible with those of institutional administration. .q?‘ f It 3. PERSONAL Unpleasant physical surroundings. Dissatisfaction with fellow workers. Move to more desirable geographical location. Personal reasons (baby, husband has new job). PatholOgy in clients deeper than desired. Pathology in clients not deep enough. OtJICITO Each person's reasons were tallied by rank to indicate both frequency of choice of reason and im- portance of each reason relative to all others. A frequency table Of this type was constructed for each sex, each agency, each age group, and for the total group. One analysis concentrated on reasons ranked as most important. Then all reasons ranked as first and second were considered tOgether. Certain additional analyses of perticular reasons by rank were also made. Following this all reasons ranked as first and second were considered in terms of sex and age. Results Results of these analyses are shown in Tables I and II which give comparisons tested for significance by NC. . - . b I . ' 'f "b fir: Results of X? analysis of Primary Reasons for Resignations Type of Comparison All Respondents Promotion-Salary Administration Personal ' Total Males Promotion-Salary Administration Personal Total Females Promotion-Salary Administration Personal Total * Younger Promotion-Salary Administration Personal Total Older* Promotion—Salary Administration Personal Total -7... TABLE I First Choice Fregppnoy N CI)\0‘\1 N‘ H WQOV X' 1.35 5.74 3.24 .24 1.12 df o I I ‘ .. I I I 7. ' h . L . I O | . I '3”- p‘: : .7 I > e 10 it}; ' '1 ’” -_u ' --l (.10 >.05 ).lO >.lO >.10 " - * Younger is younger than median age (33). Older is older than median age. -8- TABLE II Results of xtAnalysis of Primary Reasons for Resignations First and Second Choice Type of Comparison Frequency X“ df p All Respondents Promotion-Salary 35 Administration 33 Personal 20 Total 88 I~Iv.58 2 ) .10 (Other - 6-) Males Promotion-Salary 21 Administration 15 Personal 8 Total In? 6.36 2 <.05 >.02 Females Promotion-Salary 14 Administration 18 Personal 12 Total EH 1.55 2 >.1o (Other - 4) Younger* Promotion-Salary 18 Administration In Personal %3 Total 5 .9h 2 ).10 (Other - 3) Older* Promotion-Salary 17 Administration 18 Personal 8 Total 11'3' n.17 2 >.1o (Other - 3) * YOunger is younger than median age (33). Older is older than median age. .- e p 3 ‘ P -9- These data indicate that the only distributions which are significantly discrepant from a random selection are the primary reason for resignation given by males and the first and second choice by older workers. Males were concerned with salary and promotion. But, as was expected, the older workers were more con- cerned with factors other than slaary and promotion than the younger workers. Females, as expected, more fre- quently gave personal reasons than did the males, In reSponse to the individual questions, the sample of 9 from the prison,ra11 of whom were males, gave most frequently as their primary reasons for leaving administrative policies and incompatibility between clinic and institutional goals. However, their most frequently marked response was unpleasant physical surroundings (8 out of 9). lack of promotional potential was given two first choices and four second choices in this group. At the out-patient clinic, both males and females were primarily concerned with salary and promotion. At the state hospital the most frequent primary reason given by males was dissatisfaction with adminis- tration but females gave most often as the primary reason incompatibility of treatment methods and goals. The 23 males responding made 43 moves in 117 working years since the MSW, a ratio of 2.72 years per position. The 24 females changed Jobs 42 times in 129 working years since the MSW, a ratio of 3.07 years per poSition. -10- In addition to the frequency data some comments from the questionnaire elaborate the concerns of re- Spondents regarding their feelings about resignation: "The individual worker has no bargaining power with the administration...individua1 initiative is stifled...there is no opportunity for any implementa- tion of a worker'sideas, promects...” "Lack of learning opportunity." "One of the problems in the field of social work today seems to be the tendency for agencies to become too rigid administratively as they grow and their functions increase. We need to find a way to operate with- in bureaucratic structure without losing the ability to work creatively with our patients. Also we will have to review our thinking in the area of social work supervision. Experienced, competent workers shoulinot need to be under supervision, but rather, should have available consultation resources as they need them..." ”...family interests mean from time to time... that the period of time worked(§, i, etc.) and the hours must be flexible. If a given agency is flexible in this regard, the potential for retaining married females... would be increased." "Other difficulties could relate to a lack of structured and coordinated treatment program for patients, 1a ck of Opportunity for patients to have individual psychotherapy, or inability of the social worker to provide such treatment because of restrictions of the setting - policy and number of patients, so that :7. the only services possible are routine, concrete and air environmental. F ”Other states offer more 'exciting' prOgrams - adopting new ideas without having to undo so much . 'old' thinking as manifested in long established , “ institutions." ”...decisions are made in the interest of the institution per se, or staff, instead of the patient." ”There is also for some obvious reasons a mobile , pattern until one becomes a supervisor..." ; 1 z ear-1.: a. .u -11- Implications It was hypothesized that salary was the primary reason for the migrant tendencies of professional social workers. This study suggests that while this is a primary reason for 37% Of the respondents, there were indications that other factors are at least as important in mobility of workers. Dissatisfaction with administration, and conflicts of social work treatment methods and goals with the methods and goals of institutional administration were of para- mount importance. The comments from the workers seem to strees the significance of the emerging recognition that adminis- trative structure frequently operates to restrict the very creativity and adult reaponsibility which are requirements for professional peOple to serve effect- ively and in contentment. These remarks clearly indicate the professional social worker needs the Opportunity to assume a responsible professional role,that they find it stifling to work in a rule bound bureaucracy and that they are concerned by the limited service concepts which often operate in highly structured agencies. In view of the widely held belief that females have much higher turnover rates than males, it is interesting that the females show a longer period of time on a given Job than the males which suggets that this belief may be based more on myth than on fact. xx { 1 I 3. a I '1? 35¢“. H ’I -12- Discussion The questionnaire might have been worded differently to get more specific accurate answers. A pilot test i; might have been run to determine the more pertinent questions and the questions could have been worded _ to yield a greater amount of unconcsious material. 3% There is some indication that the questions were not answered as honestly as possible. A larger sample should have been used to insure a greater degree of ‘ gfiw significance. 1; Itnnmm be reOOgnized that although there are 3‘- limitations in the method for obtaining data, these .{ limitations appear relatively unimportant in the light of the fact that the results reinforce information g3: gatheres by a variety of other methods. Further research might include comparing a sample of social workers with that of another profession such as psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses. This I» would determine whether mobility rates are similar in other professions. Further study might also investigate the question of the particular type of person that is drawn into the field of social work. -13.. Bibliography BAKER, Mary R. ”Approaches to a Differential Use of Staff", Social Casework, April 1966. BLUM, Arthur, "Differential Use of Manpower in Public Welfare", Social Wogk,'Volume 11 Number 1, January, 1966. m” l’ u c 1' 1,, I t , _ '- _-fi'-' -' .- DETERMINANTS FOR JOB CHANGING e A PILOT STUDY, Group thesis for the M.S.W. degree at the New York School Of.Social Work, June 1957. FERGUSON, Virginia 8. ”Personnel Policies and ,i Practices", EncyclOpedia of Social Work, New York: _J:1 National Association Of Social Workers, 1965. GOLDEN, Deborah, "Selected Characteristics of NASW Members: The Third Study”, Personnel Information, . .NASW, March 1966. Volume 9 Number 2. KALLEN, Arnold M, M.D., New Jersey District Branch Newsletter, as quoted in "The Migrant Professional" Hospital and Communit Ps chiatr , March 1966. LEYENDECKER, Gertrude, ”A Comprehensive Staff Develop- ment Program”, Social Casework, December 1965. PARAD,HowardeJ., ed., Crisis Intervention, New York: Family.Service Association of America, 1965. SALARY SURVEY, Report No. l, Bethlehem, Pa.: College Placement Council, January 1966. THOMPSON, Jane K., and RILEY, Donald P, "Use of Pro- fezzionals in Public Welfare, Social Work, January 19 . TOLLEN, William B., Study of Staff Leases in Child Welfape and Family Service Agencies, U.S. Depart- ment of Health, Education and Welfare, Social Security Administration, Children's Bureau, 1960. e efi‘n' f nl‘ e - ‘ - 4...__._.,-___-.__._ - -.———.- ”'I’iifiu‘ui‘IILIIIII[filljfljlfiimjuiiIII” (b) (e)