A human resource management programme for social workers at psychiatric hospitals

Date
1996-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study investigated the need for a human resource management programme for social workers at psychiatric hospitals. The emphasis was on gaining access to and exploiting optimal specialist knowledge and skills. The motivation for the study has been the new challenges brought about by rationalisation of health and 'welfare services due to budget limitations and the 1996 White Paper for Social Welfare's call for more effective and equitable service delivery. Due to management cut-backs and restructuring of services, the prospects for satisfying extrinsic needs of staff, for example, by means of salary increases and promotion options, are poor. It thus becomes the task of the social work manager to activate potentially committed staff members by means of satisfying their higher intrinsic needs such as for example the need for autonomy and greater responsibility. A literature study was undertaken to explore and describe the relatJonship between the administrative, educational and supportive functions of human resource management and supervision within the framework of the development model. Data for the empirical study was collected by means of. self-administered questionnaires completed by the social workers at the three psychiatric hospitals in the Western Cape namely, Valkenberg, Lentegeur and Stikland. The needs of social workers and the tasks of the manager were investigated and described. Guidelines for a human resource management programme were determined according to the research findings in terms of staff acquisition, staff development and training, staff utilisation and evaluation. Findings also indicated the need for a shift from a control to a more participative and commitment paradigm.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na die behoefte aan 'n menslike hulpbronne bestuursprogram vir maatskaplike werkers by psiiiatriese hospitale. Toegang tot en optimale benutting van spesialis kennis en vaardighede is beklemtoon. Die motivering vir die studie is teweeggebring deur die nuwe uitdagings wat ontstaan het as gevolg van die rasionalisering van gesondheid en welsynsdienste weens finansiele inkortinge en die Witskrif van 1996 vir Maatskaplike Welsyn se beroep om effektiewer en billiker dienslewering. As gevolg van inkortingsbestuur en herstrukturering van dienste, is die moontlikheid van die bevrediging van ekstrinsieke behoeftes van personeel aan hoer salarisse en bevorderingsgeleenthede, swak. Die taak berus dus nou by die maatskaplikewerkbestuurder om potensieel toegewyde personeel te aktiveer deur middel van bevrediging van hul hoer orde intrinsieke behoeftes soos byvoorbeeld aan outonomie en grater verantwoordelikheid. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om die verband tussen die administratiewe, opvoedkundige en ondersteunende funksies van menslike hulpronnebestuur en supervisie binne die raamwerk van die ontwikkelingsmodel te verken en te beskryf. Data vir die empiriese ondersoek is verkry deur rniddel van self-geadministreerde vraelyste wat deur die maatskaplike werkers by die drie psigiatriese hospitale in die Wes-Kaap naamlik Valkenberg, Lentegeur en Stikland voltooi is. Die behoeftes van die maatskaplike werkers en die taak van die maatskaplikewerkbestuurder is ondersoek en beskryf. Riglyne vir 'n menslike hulpbronne bestuursprogram is opgestel na aanleiding van die navorsings bevindinge ten opsigte van ciie funksies van personeelvoorsiening, personeelontwikkeling, personeelbenutting en personeelevaluering. Bevindinge het ook 'n klemverskuiwing van 'n kontrole paradigma na die van groter deelnemende bestuur en toewyding aangedui.
Description
Thesis (M.A.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1996.
Keywords
Social service, Personnel management, Psychiatric hospitals, Dissertations -- Social work
Citation