Corporate Social Worker for your employee and the organization.
Psychosocial guidance for work-related stress, personal stress, or a combination of both.
Level: Prevention
The corporate social worker is a versatile psychosocial expert, making them a good choice for organizations in providing psychosocial care for employees within the organization. The position of corporate social work is comparable to roles such as HRM, occupational therapist, and staff officers.
Are you looking for a corporate social worker? Or would you like to discuss the possibilities of a corporate social worker? Feel free to contact us without obligation.
The Corporate Social Worker at Merlijn:
- Is carefully selected based on experience, is independent and objective;
- Can communicate with employees in their own language, including English, Polish, German, French, Spanish, and Moroccan;
- Is a partner of Merlijn Advies Groep and is committed to our values, the Ethical Code and the Complaints Procedure;
- Can also provide assistance with establishing a proper complaints procedure, and with the deployment of potential Confidential Advisor of mediators;
- We train and advise works councils, oand a good collaboration with them is also important;
- Is part of one of the methods for which we deploy 200 professionals: a comprehensive conflict expertise. Advantage: other agencies have one safety net, we have 24!
The Corporate Social Worker is the point of contact for all employees and managers experiencing difficulties in their work and/or personal situation. This includes issues arising from disrupted employment relationships, workplace changes, excessive work-related stress, significant life events or personal problems, work-life balance, financial difficulties, etc. The causes of these problems can be very diverse, which is why the solutions are also very diverse. Corporate social work also includes advising the organization’s management and providing training, information, and workshops, such as those related to absenteeism. The goal of the support is always to enhance the employee’s employability and vitality and to create a healthy working environment.
Corporate Social Work is your impartial sparring partner, advisor, and supporter, assisting and guiding your employees, particularly in the realm of prevention.
The (external) corporate social worker - approach
Read more
If you would like to signup or if you have any additional questions, but you have trouble signing up on the website due to the Dutch checkout, please get in touch with us at info@merlijngroep.nl or call us at +31 073 532 35 82.
The role of corporate social work in an organization”
The corporate social worker is engaged when:
- There is stress or uncertainty among employees;
- There are personal problems;
- An employee has experienced a traumatic event.
This way, the impact of a problem and the associated cost can remain low, as a corporate social worker is capable of detecting, addressing, or referring problems at an early stage. The presence of a corporate social worker will also be appreciated by your employees. They will feel that they can turn to someone with their problems. Corporate social work is not mandatory for organizations. But the organization values goal achievement, continuity, quality, and profit, and optimal-performing employees are crucial in this regard. By achieving the corporate social work mission, corporate social work contributes to the employability of employees and thus the goal achievement of the organization. With the additional result of saving personnel costs.
Research from Radboud University shows that in organizations without corporate social work, absenteeism is much higher than in organizations where corporate social work is present, contributing to a specific type of social policy aimed at employee well-being, of which the corporate social worker is an essential part.
Mission and vision of corporate social work
- Mission: Corporate social work supports employees in optimal functioning by providing psychosocial guidance and advises organizations on improving the sustainable employability of employees.
- Vision: Corporate social work is a partner in the execution of good employership in the field of Psychosocial Occupational Stress (POS), absenteeism, and transition through psychosocial guidance. Psychosocial guidance includes prevention, cure, and mediation in the field of Psychosocial Occupational Stress, absenteeism, and transition. Psychosocial Occupational Stress encompasses all factors at work that cause stress, such as aggression and violence, labor conflicts, sexual harassment, bullying, and work pressure. The external corporate social worker is flexibly deployable and is only paid for the active hours
Are you looking for a corporate social worker? Or would you like to discuss the possibilities of a corporate social worker? Feel free to contact us without obligation.
What exactly can we do for you? Among other things, a dedicated advisor for all conflict situations (within your organization).
Tailor-made program
This way, we together create the perfect trajectory.
1
You contact the back office of Merlijn
2
We will connect you with our corporate social work quality manager who will listen to you, ask further questions, and determine the (support) request together with you.
3
We provide a customized quote in which the agreements are clearly formulated: service on demand or based on a subscription.
Articles
About corporate social work
- De (externe) bedrijfsmaatschappelijk werker Dick Bonenkamp
- Bedrijfsmaatschappelijk werk en coaching Natasja Breugelmans
- Bedrijfscultuur, wat verstaan we eronder? Merlijn
- Integraal conflictmanagement Dick Bonenkamp
- Op het werk in gesprek over mijn problemen, maar bij wie moet ik nou eigenlijk zijn? Natasja Breugelmans
- White paper over Bedrijfsmaatschappelijk werk Marie-José van Dijke
Training
For corporate social work
Ook online mogelijk!
Basistraining Klachtbehandeling: klachten afhandelen & oplossen
Een klacht een waardevolle kans om te verbeteren
Het woord ‘klacht’ is boven alles een waardevolle kans om te verbeteren. Door goed en kritisch te luisteren naar wat [...]
Ook online mogelijk!
2-daagse Basisopleiding voor vertrouwenspersonen
basis opleiding voor interne en externe vertrouwenspersonen
Ongewenst gedrag in een organisatie zorgt voor een hoger ziekteverzuim en dus hoge kosten. Een goed geïnformeerde vertrouwenspersoon kan veel [...]
'A good example sets the pace.'
Recognizing stress
In addition to offering trajectory options, we also provide customized advice when it comes to self-management for managers. As a manager, you have a leading role. Corporate social work advises and supports in this leading role, recognizing stress signals, and conducting the right conversation about them.
Corporate social work
Stress in relation to…
Corporate social work is the discipline aimed at preventing or mitigating stress caused by psychosocial occupational stress (POS) in companies and organizations 1.2 million employees in the Netherlands experience burnout symptoms. This amounts to 16%.
Workplace stress is occupational disease number 1. Just over a million people are at risk of burnout and other work-related mental illnesses each year.
See the number of statistics on work stress in the year 2021 in the factsheet from TNO and CBS*
*Source: Download the factsheet in the article ‘Vier op de tien werkgevers vindt werkdruk een van de belangrijkste arbeidsrisico’s’. Source CBS/TNO
More knowledge about...
The corporate social worker
Read more about the role of a corporate social worker in an organization.
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Identity of the Company Social Work
To maintain the identity and quality of the social work profession, the Professional Code for the Social Worker is indispensable. Because the code is the backbone of social work. The code describes the collective professional standards for the professional conduct of social workers. When making professional ethical considerations, the code of conduct provides guidance, and it also forms the basis for the assessment of the professionalism of this conduct.
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Competencies, skills, and knowledge
An occupational social worker is a specialized social worker with a demonstrable bachelor’s degree in Social Work or the former study program in Social Work and Services, who needs to possess additional competencies and skills. The basic competencies can be found in the professional profile set up by the BPSW (Dutch Professional Association of Social Workers).
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Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Company Social Work
The Corporate Social Work discipline focuses on psychosocial work stress as defined in the occupational health and safety legislation. In addition, Corporate Social Work also focuses on the non-work-related stressors that impact daily functioning. Within the Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E), it is described what risks exist and what the corresponding action plan is. This may include topics related to employment relationships and work-related stress.
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Absence policy and the Company Social Work
The Corporate Social Work plays a role within this policy when it comes to identifying work-related issues. By linking these signals to the ones that emerge from absenteeism records and the Risk Inventory and Evaluation, a current picture is created. In addition, Corporate Social Work plays a role in absenteeism management. Both preventive and curative referrals can be made by a direct supervisor who plays a central role in the sick leave process. In the case of sick leave, it is advisable to consult the Corporate Social Worker after a few weeks to investigate what is going on and whether there may be issues in the supervisor-employee relationship.
With regard to reintegration, Corporate Social Work plays a supportive role in non-medical aspects.
Did you know that...
Interesting tips/facts.
Stress is not always negative: a little bit of stress, known as healthy stress, can actually help you perform well because it adds some pressure. People who look back on a stressful period often say they have learned a lot from it. Therefore, try to turn stress into a positive feeling and focus on learning from your mistakes to turn disappointments into successful experiences.
Stress symptoms vary from person to person:one person may experience digestive problems while another may start sweating heavily or have rapid breathing Insomnia is also a commonly occurring consequence. When someone is in frequent contact with stress, it becomes more difficult to recognize the symptoms because we tend to normalize them. Then, boundaries are gradually pushed, and in this way, you can subject your own body to exhaustion Eventually, the body itself signals that this is no longer sustainable. People experiencing severe burnout sometimes can’t even unload a dishwasher because they are so exhausted that their body only wants to rest.
You can die from stress: persistent stress can be life-threatening. There is also a saying: ‘Work won’t kill you.’ Unfortunately, this statement is not accurate. Existing health problems can significantly worsen. Not only is there a risk of cardiovascular diseases, but severe viral infections can also progress more rapidly. In addition, people often adopt unhealthy habits such as overeating, smoking, or drinking excessively due to stress.
Men and women cope with stress differently:men tend to respond to stress in a more aggressive manner, often trying to tackle the problem as quickly as possible and resolve it. Women often try to reconcile first. With the situation and then seek a solution.
Stress is contagious: just like a cold, stress can spread. Usually, this happens subtly because most people are too busy to notice. That’s why psychologists believe it’s important to first have your own stress under control so that everyone around you doesn’t start getting irritable.
Facts about 2019, 2020 and 2021
41% of employees experience autonomy
34% of employees experience excessive task demands
21% of employees deal with unwanted behavior from customers, patients, students, or other external parties.
37% of all employees believe that measures are needed to combat work-related stress.
1.2 million employees in the Netherlands experience burnout symptoms.
This amounts to 16%.
34% of employees indicate work pressure or work-related stress
as the reason for their absence.
In 2020, employees were absent for a total of 9.4 million days due to work-related stress.
the reason for their absence.
In 2019, the cost of absenteeism per employee due to work-related stress was €9300.
In 2019, employers incurred €3.2 billion in absenteeism costs due to work-related stress.
*The figures are based on the Nationale Enquête Arbeidsomstandigheden (NEA) 2020 and the Zelfstandigen Enquête Arbeid (ZEA) 2021. The costs are based on the NEA 2019. The NEA and ZEA surveys are conducted by TNO and CBS
Psychosocial issues
1/3 of sickness absence due to POS
Psychological issues relate to your feelings and thoughts. Social issues relate to other people or institutions Psychosocial problems are a combination of these two. You can also experience physical complaints (such as headaches, palpitations, and poor sleep) You can read more in the white paper.
One-third of the sickness absence in the Netherlands is caused by work-related mental health issues. This makes psychosocial occupational strain (POS) the most common occupational disease in our country. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, as an employer, you are obligated to provide all employees with a (socially) safe working environment. This means that employees can expect to be protected against psychosocial workload (POS).
POS can be caused by excessive work pressure or unwanted behavior in the workplace. This allows measures to be taken to prevent or reduce it. One of those measures is the deployment of a company social worker when it comes to work pressure. In addition, a confidential advisor is an important intervention when it comes to undesirable behaviors. Both measures are part of the Risk Inventory & EvaluationRI&E and the action plan.
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