Social Workers, Need Complex, and Professional Burnout

by Elizabeth J. Clark, Ph.D., MSW, MPH

      We have all been taught to recognize the signs of professional burnout--signs such as physical ailments like fatigue, frequent colds and headaches, and insomnia; emotional reactions like anger, depression, guilt, and cynicism; and behavioral clues like missing work  or working longer hours.

     There is one sign of burnout that not only often goes unnoticed, but frequently is encouraged in subtle ways. This is what can be referred to as the "need complex" -- the feeling that you and your intervention are so needed that you must work longer and longer hours, that your work is never done, that you can't possibly take a day off or take a vacation. 

     This situation is not simply based on personal feelings. It often starts with agency downsizing or staff vacancies. Everyone chips in and tries to cover the service deficits. Your boss recognizes the team effort and is quite complimentary. You find yourself working harder, faster, and longer, but it is never enough. If you take off, others will need to pick up your workload. You don't speak up, because the need is so great. 

     Or, you have gotten close to a patient who is nearing end of life. She has a caring family, and her other staff are attentive, You feel, however, that your support is needed, and you are reluctant to take a day off because you are concerned that she might die when you are away. Her family and other staff notice and remark positively about your dedication. 

     Or, your agency  is short on necessary supplies. Or a student is in need of new shoes or lunch money. You find yourself quietly subsidizing your program or your clients. You know this is a professional boundary issue, but the need is so great. 

     Feeling indispensable is a clear sign of professional burnout. It means you have lost perspective and are blurring the line between the professional and the personal, because you feel so needed. If you find yourself caught in this cycle, talk with your supervisor or a trusted colleague about how to regain your professional balance.

     If you are a supervisor, be aware of staff trending toward indispensability. Be certain you are not unknowingly encouraging them to put their work responsibilities before their personal life and before self-care so that you can meet agency requirements. Insist that they take days off and that they use their vacation time every year.   

     Social workers are needed, and they often are in short supply. Also, as social workers, when we see a need, we try to find a way to fill it, but we generally can't do it by ourselves. Instead, we must use our skills and our activism to bring about system changes so that staffing levels are adequate and funding is sufficient to do the job. 

     It is rewarding to know what you do each day is needed and appreciated - that you are making a difference. That's what we all signed up for. But to work in the field over the long haul, we must recognize our limitations and engage in self-care. 

Dr, Elizabeth (Betsy) Clark is the past CEO of NASW. She is President of the Start Smart Career Center (www.startsmart.org) and recently published a book on hope called Choose Hope (Always Choose Hope), which includes a chapter on "Reclaiming Professional Hope." She is a frequent contributor to The New Social Worker.