Abstract:
Retention of social workers is a common issue that affects various organizations.
Retention of social workers in child welfare, social service, and other human
service agencies is a serious concern. The high turnover rate of professional
workers poses a major challenge to child welfare agencies and to the social work
field in general. Turnover rates range from 30 to 60 percent in a typical year.
According to Srinika Jayaratne and Wayne Chess (1984), “39 percent of social
workers in family services and 43 percent in community mental health are likely
to leave their jobs within a year of starting.” This article utilizes information
derived from a comprehensive literature review to present a conceptual training
model of empathic leadership to remedy the overwhelming dilemma of retaining
social work employees.
