Great Job
by Jennifer Luna, MSSW
As social workers, we are often so busy we may take great work that other colleagues are doing for granted. Peer recognition improves confidence and employees' sense of belonging to the team. The first aspect of peer recognition is to be able to notice an opportunity to praise someone. Fortunately for us, using a strengths-based perspective is the core of our profession, so why not take that perspective with each other? The next aspect of peer recognition is to actually do something about it, the physical act of doing something to praise colleagues' good work. The following will go a long way in recognizing your peers, and what better month to start than Social Work Month?
1. Never say disparaging remarks about your social work colleagues to other colleagues or other professionals. Social workers face incredible challenges every day, and our profession can be a thankless job. One of the greatest challenges that we face is explaining to clients and professionals what we do while breaking stereotypes that have plagued us for years, and this is on top of our regular job responsibilities! Negative gossip is unprofessional and will reflect poorly on the person who said it. In this same thread, if you recognize that a colleague is not following agency protocol, or is completing tasks incorrectly, don’t let that go, either. Set each other up for success, not failure. Ask your colleague to have lunch or to meet privately. You can start this conversation off with, “Peer consultation has always been very valuable to me, and based on my experience, I thought I might give you some feedback on....”
2. If you are working on an interdisciplinary team, highlight the contributions of everyone on the team. When working on a team with professionals from other disciplines, the other professionals may not be fully aware of the role social workers play. Regardless of whether you are the leader or a team member, demonstrate graciousness by introducing colleagues to each other and informing other team members of how your colleague contributes to the team. For example: “This is John. He is our intake specialist, and he’s an outstanding first point of contact for our clients.”
3. Write a note or send a card. In today’s world of endless social media and 24/7 email access, the art of a handwritten note is fading fast. Recognize your colleagues by sending them a note or simply leaving a card on their desk. Writing by hand is a conscious action that shows authenticity and intentionality and demonstrates appreciation for one’s work. Writing also takes time, and it often feels like there is never enough of it in our profession. Your colleagues are certain to feel appreciative of this gesture.
4. Nominate your colleague for an award. There are many different awards for social workers, especially during Social Work Month. Although this takes a little effort on the part of the nominator, it can make a world of difference to the recipient. It makes us feel valued and respected, and it is a great résumé builder. In addition to awards given by NASW, there are many other professional organizations that recognize social workers from various areas of practice annually. You might also consider nominating a peer for an award from their university, such as alumni of the year. When someone receives an award, they are more likely to nominate someone the next year. It keeps the momentum going!
5. Invite your colleague to do a presentation for your staff or others. Everyone appreciates being recognized for their expertise, and there is no better way to recognize someone’s knowledge, skills, or abilities than to ask them to impart their knowledge to others. This could be done in the form of a staff training, webinar, or simply asking them to attend a staff meeting and make a short presentation. Additionally, this will give your colleague the opportunity to network, learn from others, and build their résumé.
Social workers, raise each other up and pay it forward. When one of us is recognized, we all win!
Jennifer Luna
Jennifer Luna, MSSW
Jennifer Luna, MSSW, is The New Social Worker's "Your Social Work Career Coach" columnist. Jennifer is a social worker, career coach, keynote speaker, and trainer. She serves as Director of the DiNitto Center for Career Services at the University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, nationally recognized as a model Social Work Career Services program.