Social Service Employees’ Adaptation in the context of social work and health

Social Se ice Employees’ Adap a ion in he con ex o social wo k and heal h1 Pe e gallo2, Beá a Balogo á,3 Mi iama Bo iščáko á4 Pe e Gallo, Beá a Balogo á, Mi iama Bo iščáko á ABSTRAKT P edkladaný p íspe ok sa zame ia a na adap áciu zames nanco za iadeniach sociálnych služieb zd a o nom p os edí sociálnej p áce. Hla ným cieľom ýskumu je dospieť kpohľadu zames nan- co sociálnych služieb na ich adap áciu na p aco isku— za iadeniach sociálnych služieb. Skúma- me adap ačný p oces zames nanca zhľadom na jeho p aco né za adenie, spokojnosť sp aco nými podmienkami aspä nú äzbu od nad iadených. P oblema ika je skúmaná p os edníc om do az- níka na zo ke 101 esponden o (N=101). Zúdajo získaných od esponden o yplý a, že p aco - ná náplň zames nanca je ak o om spôsobujúcim ozdiely oboznamo aní sa sadap ačným p oce- som zames nanca. Výskum ukázal š a is icky ýznamný ozdiel medzi k ali ikáciou esponden o aich spokojnosťou sadap ačným p ocesom za iadeniach sociálnych služieb. Posledným skúma- ným ak o om bol ek esponden o aspä ná äzba od nad iadených, k o é po o e ení ykazo ali š a is icky ýznamný ozdiel. Adap ácia zames nanco je dôleži ým ak o om nielen p e za iadenia sociálnych služieb, ale aj p e za iadenia o šeobecnos i, p e ože len sp á ne adap o aní zames - nanci sú schopní ykoná ať s oje po innos i súlade scieľmi apoli ikou za iadenia p eja ujúceho sa kon ex e sociálnej p áce zd a ia. KĽÚČOVÉ SLOVÁ adap ácia, adap ačný p oces, sociálni p aco níci, p aco né p os edie, sociálna p áca ABSTRACT The p esen pape ocuses on he employee adap a ion in social se ice acili ies in he social wo k heal h se ing. The main esea ch objec i e is o a i e a he social se ice employees’ iew o hei adap a ion in he wo kplace— social se ice acili ies. We examine he employee’s adap a ion p o- cess conside ing hei job assignmen , hei sa is ac ion wi h wo king condi ions, and eedback om hei supe io s. The issue is examined h ough aques ionnai e on asample o 101 espon- den s (N=101). The da a ob ained om he esponden s show ha he employee’s job assignmen is a ac o causing di e ences in ge ing acquain ed wi h he employee’s adap a ion p ocess. The e- sea ch has shown as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he esponden s’ quali ica ion and hei sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess in social se ice acili ies. The las ac o examined was he esponden s’ age and he eedback om supe io s, which showed as a is ically signi ican di e ence a e e i ica ion. Employee adap a ion is an impo an ac o no only o social se ice 1 P íspe ok znikol  ámci iešenia p ojek u VEGA č.1/0535/23 In eg ácia uk ajinských mig an o aposúdenie ná očnej ži o nej si uácie spojenej sk ízou y olanou ojno ým kon lik om op ikou sociálnej p áce 2 Inš i ú edukológie asociálnej p áce, Filozo ická akul a, P ešo ská uni e zi a P ešo e, pe e [email protected] 3 Inš i ú edukológie asociálnej p áce, Filozo ická akul a, P ešo ská uni e zi a P ešo e, bea a.balogo [email protected], ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6069-2721 4 Inš i ú edukológie asociálnej p áce, Filozo ická akul a, P ešo ská uni e zi a P ešo e mi iama.bo iscako [email protected] OPEN ACCESS 136 FÓRUM SOCIÁLNÍ PRÁCE 1–2/2024 acili ies bu also o es ablishmen s in gene al, as only p ope ly adap ed employees a e able o ca - y ou hei du ies in acco dance wi h he goals and policies o a acili y showing in he con ex o social wo k heal h. KEYWORDS adap a ion, adap a ion p ocess, social wo ke s, wo king en i onmen , social wo k. INTRODUCTION Asocial wo k assignmen , being conside ed a isky job, necessi a es as much a en- ion as i is gi en o social wo k clien s and hei social p oblems. In he dynamic wo k en i onmen o social wo k, i is essen ial o accoun o all aspec s o pe o - mance ha a ec bo h social wo k clien s and he me e social wo ke s. I is impo an o ocus on p o essionals who a e in daily con ac wi h clien s, who conduc demand- ing counseling, in e en ion, diagnos ics, who coope a e wi h o he p o essionals and align di e en o ms o assis ance, o who ha e o unde go li elong lea ning. In he cu en global and cons an ly changing wo ld, we pe cei e hese and o he con- ex s, such as sel -ca e o explo ing he esilience o social wo ke s wi h a ocus on c i ical hinking (V anko á aBalogo á, 2024), o be undamen al in building as ong posi ion o social wo k p o ession. The p esen pape ocuses p ima ily on he key aspec o social wo ke s’ pe o mance, namely adap a ion. Adap a ion, as iden i ied in he sec ion on he heo e ical backg ound, is ap ocess in which social wo ke s a e exposed o he i s p essu es o hei job, including hei amilia iza ion wi h he ins i u ion, es ablishing in e ac ion wi h ellow wo ke s, pe cei ing and obse ing e hical s uc u es and, o cou se, ul illing clien - ela ed wo k du ies. Adap a ion is o en he decisi e con ex o subsequen wo k p ocesses ha es i y o he e ec i e- ness o social wo ke s‘ pe o mance. We aspi e o iden i y he impac o demog aphic poin e s in social wo k, i is one o he indispensable poin e s in esea ch on social wo ke s’ adap a ion o wo k condi ions. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Employee adap a ion in a acili y is an impo an p ocess ha a ec s he employee’s p ope pe o mance, he compe i ion agains o he acili ies, and he achie emen o wo k-coo dina ion- ela ed goals. F om apsychosocial poin o iew, adap a ion o anew employee in ol es con o ming o new condi ions o en i onmen (Akke - mans e al., 2021; Schwei ze e al., 2023). The aim o he adap a ion o anewly e- c ui ed employee is o in eg a e seamlessly in o he acili y s uc u e and i s social unc ioning in o de o achie e he equi ed pe o mance s anda ds. Howe e , new employees, e en hough being knowledgeable and expe ienced, a e no able o wo k as e ec i ely as hei „olde colleagues“. This is due o di e en business cul u es, e alua ion sys ems, goals, socie al no ms, and eam ules. An impo an ac o ha a ec s he employee’s adap a ion is also s ess om he new en i onmen and new wo king condi ions. The soone he company s a s he adap ing p ocess o anew OPEN ACCESS PETER gaLLO, BEÁTa BaLOgOVÁ, MIRIaMa BORIŠČÁKOVÁ 137 employee, he soone i eaches he equi ed pe o mance le el. This is bene icial o bo h he employee’s sa is ac ion and he company’s high s a e iciency and, conse- quen ly, clien s’ posi i e opinion o i . Wo ke onboa ding is he p ocess by which new employees adap o new oles, o esponsibili ies pe aining o he job assigned, and o wo k en i onmen . The adap a ion p ocess helps he employee o unde s and he co po a e cul u e, alues and policy, as well as he expec a ions and equi emen s esul ing om he employmen in he acili y (Chudzikowski e al., 2020; Fang e al., 2021; Ge e al., 2023). An impo an pa o he adap a ion p ocess is ecei ing supe - ision, men o ing, o coaching om employees who ha e been wo king in he acil- i y o some ime; hei ask is o amilia ize new employees wi h he wo k cul u e, company p ac ices, as well as wi h he speci ic skills and knowledge equi ed in hei wo k posi ion (Hi schi & Koen, 2021; Nalis e al., 2022). Sans acon and B own (2021) o e he esul s o hei esea ch in o he unde - s anding o he p o essional adap a ion o in e na ionally educa ed social wo ke s. They examined he e ec s o bo h ex e nal and in e nal ac o s on his p ocess. They conside he educa ion o social wo ke s in e ms o knowledge and skills o be nec- essa y in ela ion o hei deg ee o adap a ion. The esea ch shows, among o he hings, ha hei educa ion ou side he coun y in which hey wo k has an impac on hei adap a ion. I hey did no ecei e an educa ion (in his case in Canada), hey had di icul y inding ajob and expe ienced disc imina ion. No less impo an ac o in adap a ion is he balance o amily and wo k li e, which la gely a ec s he o e all wo ke ’s li e, bo h pe sonal and social (I ana, 2020). Simila ly, Ling, Shum, Kwan, and Xu (2021) deal wi h social wo ke s’ adap a ion du ing he pandemic c isis (in his case in Hong Kong). Thei s udy epo s on he explo a ion o 3 main hemes in ocus g oups, namely changing wo k posi ion, enego ia ing con ac s wi h sup- po e s, and explo ing new in e en ion me hods. Acco ding o he esul s, adap a- ion was buil in he sense o ial and e o , which helped social wo ke s gain mo e con idence when p o iding social se ices wi h new in e en ion me hods. When us- ing new in e en ion me hods, ace ain sense o esis ance was obse ed; i esul ed om he social wo ke s’ igno ance (e.g. o IT-suppo ed p o ision o se ices, e c.), o i was due o he need o make quick changes in con en ionalized wo k p ocesses. The way in which employees (social wo ke s) a e becoming amilia wi h wo king condi ions, o whe he enough ime is de o ed o his pa o he adap a ion, also has signi ican impac on he wo k adap a ion. Su, Wong and Liang (2023) say ha hese a e so-called psychosocial esou ces ha help o adap success ully, emphasizing in pa icula he impo ance o paying he a en ion o wo king condi ions and ecog- nizing he digni y in he social wo ke ’s wo k. In many cases, social wo ke s wo k in a eam, and p oceed case by case. S eng hening he adap a ion o social wo ke s in he g oup o m o wo k is also possible h ough he so-called concep o empowe - men . Empowe men helps o inc ease he compe ences and abili y o sel -manage- men bo h in he employees hemsel es and collec i ely in he eam. In addi ion o he abo e Edwa ds and Collinsons (2002), also emphasize he imp o emen o he so-called discipline o au onomy. Ques ions ela ed o adap a ion in he wo kplace o job sa is ac ion a e no limi ed o he social and educa ional sec o s; hey also a - ec heal hca e ield. The esul s o quali a i e esea ch Raba’ah Hamzah e al. (2023) indica e ha he adap a ion p ocess o nu ses was mo e like being „ h own in o he OPEN ACCESS 138 FÓRUM SOCIÁLNÍ PRÁCE 1–2/2024 wa e ,“ whe e nu ses had li le ime o amilia ize hemsel es wi h he wo k and he en i onmen , e c. They we e b ie ly old wha was expec ed o hem and hen di- ec ly in ol ed in he wo k. The esea ch also highligh s he p oblem o asho age o pe sonnel esponsible o ca ying ou he adap a ion p ocess. Las bu no leas , he exis ing esea ch has also conside ed age as a ac o in he adap a ion p ocess— as e idenced by Kim and Kim’s (2022) esea ch, olde wo ke s showed ahighe le el o adap abili y han younge wo ke s. Simila ly, ou esea ch in o ms abou he adap a- ion o social wo ke s in e ms o age. In addi ion o he men ioned esea ch s udies, adap a ion in he social ield has been obse ed and s udied by au ho Le ická (2012). A he legisla i e le el, he p o ession o social wo k is go e ned by Ac No.219/2014 Coll., he Ac on Social Wo k and on he Condi ions o he Pe o mance o Ce ain P o essional Ac i i ies in he Field o Social A ai s and Family, and on Amendmen s o Ce ain Ac s. In he con ex o employee adap a ion wi hin he domain o social wo k, he adap a ion p ocess mus comp ehensi ely inco po a e all s a u o y e- qui emen s, including p o essional compe ence o social wo k p ac ice and he ex- ecu ion o social wo k wi hin an employmen ela ionship o an equi alen p o es- sional a angemen . Wi h ega d o quali ica ion equi emen s, he a o emen ioned Ac s ipula es ha he p ac ice o social wo k manda es asecond-le el uni e si y deg ee in social wo k o social wo ke s and a i s -le el uni e si y deg ee in social wo k o assis an s. The e ec i e pe o mance o social wo k necessi a es he con inuous expansion o p o essional knowledge, no only h ough legally manda ed educa ional quali ica- ions bu also ia supplemen a y s udies and p o essional de elopmen ini ia i es. To ensu e he op imal s uc u ing o he adap a ion p ocess o employees, i is im- pe a i e ha social wo k educa ion aligns wi h he co e alues and e hical p inciples o he p o ession, as a icula ed by he In e na ional Fede a ion o Social Wo ke s (IFSW) and he In e na ional Associa ion o Schools o Social Wo k (IASSW). Acco d- ing o IFSW (2020), i is essen ial o p o ide suppo and p o ec ion o employees, g adua es, and se ice use s engaged in he educa ional p ocess. The a o emen ioned o ganiza ion also s a es ha i is impo an o ensu e ha social se ice employees ha e access o excellen quali y educa ion, oppo uni ies ha also include social wo k knowledge de i ed om esea ch, expe ience, policy and p ac ice. METHODOLOGY The p esen s udy examines he adap a ion p ocess o employees wi hin social se - ice acili ies, wi h ap ima y objec i e o p o iding an analy ical pe spec i e on ad- ap a ion in ela ion o job posi ion, age, and educa ional backg ound. To achie e his objec i e, he esea ch was s uc u ed a ound h ee key esea ch ques ions: Do di e ences exis in he adap a ion p ocess ac oss a ious job posi ions wi hin he ield o social se ices? Does he educa ional a ainmen o esponden s in luence hei sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess in social se ice se ings? Is age ade e mining ac o in he eceip and pe cep ion o eedback ega ding he adap a ion p ocess in social se ices? OPEN ACCESS PETER gaLLO, BEÁTa BaLOgOVÁ, MIRIaMa BORIŠČÁKOVÁ 139 To explo e hese ques ions, he s udy o mula ed a esea ch p oblem ha exam- ined mul iple dimensions o adap a ion. Speci ically, he esea ch ocused on he de- sign and implemen a ion o he adap a ion p ocess om he s andpoin o employ- ees’ job oles, hei le el o sa is ac ion wi h adap a ion p ocedu es, and he na u e o eedback p o ided upon he comple ion o he adap a ion p ocess. Aques ionnai e was chosen as he main esea ch me hod o da a collec ion. The ques ionnai e is one o he mos common me hods o da a collec ion o his ype o esea ch. I is ame hod used in social sciences o ob ain da a on he adap a ion p ocess o social wo ke s and o iden i y he en i onmen al ac o s de e mining he adap a ion p ocess collec i ely and quickly. The ques ionnai e was designed in line wi h he ollowing hypo heses: H1: We assume as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he employee’s wo k posi ion and he posi i e adap a ion p ocess in social se ice a- cili ies. H2: We assume as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he quali ica- ion o social wo ke s and he deg ee o sa is ac ion wi h he adap a- ion p ocess in social se ice acili ies. H3: We assume as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he social wo ke s’ age and he eedback om hei supe io s. The ques ionnai e consis ed o wo logically in e connec ed pa s. The i s pa con- ained demog aphic ques ions ocused on sex/gende , quali ica ion ( aining), age, and wo k posi ion o employees in social se ice acili ies. The second pa ocused on iden- i ying he ac o s a ec ing he adap a ion p ocess o employees o social se ice acili- ies. The ques ions in his sec ion deal wi h he exp ession o employees’ sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess, hei acquain ance wi h he me e adap a ion p ocess, as well as hei opinions on he ecei ing eedback om supe io s. The ques ionnai e de- ployed a i e-poin Like scale and open s a emen s wi h asupplemen a y cons uc . In he esea ch componen o he ques ionnai e, he ques ions we e s uc u ed in alogical and in e connec ed sequence o ensu e alignmen wi h demog aphic cha - ac e is ics. The sec ion add essing esponden s‘ job classi ica ion ca ego ized pa ici- pan s in o speci ic p o essional oles, including social wo ke s, ca egi e s in social se ice acili ies, manage s o di ec o s in he ield o social wo k, adminis a i e pe sonnel engaged in social wo k- ela ed asks, and o he ele an posi ions wi hin he sec o . To assess esponden s‘ amilia i y wi h he adap a ion p ocess, aLike scale was employed, anging om „S ongly Ag ee“ o „Neu al“ o „S ongly Dis- ag ee.“ Simila ly, he le el o sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess was e alua ed using aLike scale. Howe e , o amo e comp ehensi e analysis, addi ional op ions we e inco po a ed, including sa is ac ion wi h communica ion om managemen , he quali y o p o essional aining p o ided du ing adap a ion, he ex en o which legisla i e amewo ks on employee igh s and esponsibili ies we e in eg a ed in o he adap a ion p ocess, and o he pe inen ac o s. Fu he mo e, he s udy exam- ined he ole o eedback wi hin he adap a ion p ocess by in es iga ing he o m in which eedback was p o ided, whe he i was deli e ed con inuously h oughou he adap a ion pe iod o solely a i s conclusion. OPEN ACCESS 140 FÓRUM SOCIÁLNÍ PRÁCE 1–2/2024 The esea ch was ca ied ou online using he Google o ms app. The ques ion- nai e was dis ibu ed o esponden s in o hei mailboxes. In o de o ensu e asu - icien numbe o adminis e ed ques ionnai es, he esea ch was ca ied ou o e ahal o ayea , om Janua y o June 2023. The andom selec ion me hod was used in he selec ion o esponden s, which ensu ed ha each esponden had he same op- po uni y o pa icipa e in he esea ch and he same likelihood o being app oached. In e ms o esea ch e hics, pa icipa ion in he esea ch was olun a y, pa icipan s we e amilia wi h he esea ch opic and pe sonal da a p o ec ion was also ensu ed. The ques ionnai e was dis ibu ed o 500 social wo ke s om all o e Slo akia on he basis o a andom selec ion. The selec ion o esponden s was conduc ed h ough a andom sampling me hod, u ilizing ada abase o social se ice acili ies compiled by he Minis y o Labo , Social A ai s, and Family, in conjunc ion wi h ada abase main ained by Highe Te i o ial Uni s in he Slo ak Republic. The e u n a e was 101 comple ed ques ionnai es, which ep esen s ape cen age o 20.2%. Fo esea ch pu poses, he e u n on ques ionnai es is a a easonable le el. The esponden s’ answe s se ed he basis o desc ip i e p ocessing o demog aphic da a on employees in social se ice acili ies, as well as he basis o s a is ical e i i- ca ion o he es ablished hypo heses. Fo he s a is ical p ocessing o di e ences, ca ego ical a iables we e used and alida ed h ough he S uden ’s T- es o pa ame ic s a is ics. S a is ically impo - an a e he de e mined alues (p) lowe han p < 0.05. The esea ch indings esul om he social wo ke s’ answe s o he abo e ques ions in he ques ionnai e. The S a is ica so wa e e sion 12 was used o s a is ical e alua ion. RESULTS The esea ch deal wi h he issue o adap a ion o social se ice acili y employees. I should be emphasized ha manage ial posi ions in asocial se ice acili y include no only op manage ial posi ions, bu also hose a he pe sonnel, inancial, o o he depa men s ha a ec he ac i i ies o o he employees. This classi ica ion se es as abasis o e i ying he hypo hesis aimed a de e mining as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he employee’s wo k posi ion and amilia iza ion wi h he adap- a ion p ocess in asocial se ice acili y. Fo he pu pose o e i ying he es ablished hypo hesis, esponden s we e supposed o exp ess hei opinion on indi idual ac- o s o he adap a ion p ocess in he social se ice acili y. The ac o s we e gi en in he o m o a i e-poin Like scale and we e aimed a he explaining o he adap a- ion p ocess in he hi ing phase, in pu suing wo k asks, in becoming amilia wi h he ision and policies o social se ice acili y, in he o ganiza ion o wo k and he comple e s uc u e o social se ice acili y, and hey we e asked o se a ime ame o he comple ion o he adap a ion p ocess in he social se ice acili y. The hypo h- esis was e i ied h ough he S uden ’s T- es o wo independen a iables, which shows ha he e is as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he employee’s as- signmen o aposi ion and amilia i y wi h he adap a ion p ocess in asocial se ice acili y. The esul is con i med by he p- alue o he s a is ical es o p=0.009, which is smalle han he eliabili y coe icien o 0.05. We accep and con i m he hypo h- OPEN ACCESS PETER gaLLO, BEÁTa BaLOgOVÁ, MIRIaMa BORIŠČÁKOVÁ 141 esis ocused on he exis ence o di e ences be ween he employee’s assignmen o aposi ion and amilia iza ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess in asocial se ice acil- i y, because he e is as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween hem. The esul is shown in he Tab. 1. Subjec o esea ch N A e age S anda d de ia ion p- alue Adap a ion p ocess o he employee 19 2,947 0,310 p=0.009 38 2,711 0,203 26 1,115 0,250 18 1,059 0,337 Table 1.E alua ion o adap a ion p ocess esea ch (own p ocessing) The second pa o he esea ch ocused on he exis ence o as a is ically signi i- can di e ence be ween he esponden s’ quali ica ion and hei sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess in he social se ice acili y. Responden s exp essed sa is ac- ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess h ough a i e-poin Like scale, whe eby 1 was comple ely disag ee, 2 disag ee, 3 Icanno assess, 4 ag ee, and 5 comple ely ag ee. To e i y he es ablished hypo hesis, S uden s T- es was used o wo independen a i- ables. I shows as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he esponden s’ quali i- ca ion ( ecei ed educa ion) and sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess in he social se ice acili y. The esul o he es ablished hypo hesis is ap- alue o 0.0398 which is asmalle alue han he eliabili y coe icien o 0.05. The esul is shown in he Tab. 2. Subjec o esea ch N A e age S anda d de ia ion p- alue Sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess 29 2,345 0,188 p=0.0398 28 1,929 0,212 34 1,059 0,179 9 0,444 0,338 Table 2.Sa is ac ion o adap a ion p ocess esea ch (own p ocessing) The las hypo hesis examined he di e ences be ween he esponden s’ age and he eedback om hei supe io s. The esponden s exp essed opinions on eed- back om supe io s h ough a i e-poin Like scale, whe e, as in he p e ious esea ch ques ion, op ion 1 mean comple ely disag ee, op ion 5 mean comple ely ag ee. The hypo hesis was e i ied h ough he S uden ’s T- es o wo indepen- den a iables, which shows ha he e is as a is ically signi ican di e ence be- ween he age o he esponden s and he eedback om senio employees in he social se ice acili y. The esul o he es ablished hypo hesis is ap- alue o 0.0087 which is asmalle alue han he eliabili y coe icien o 0.05. The esul is shown in he Tab. 3. OPEN ACCESS 142 FÓRUM SOCIÁLNÍ PRÁCE 1–2/2024 Subjec o esea ch N N A e age S anda d de ia ion p- alue Sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess (18–25) 31 2,345 0,188 p=0.0087 (26–39) 29 1,929 0,212 (40–59) 33 1,059 0,179 (60+) 7 0,444 0,338 Table 3.Sa is ac ion o adap a ion p ocess esea ch (own p ocessing) The conduc ed esea ch con i med he accep ance o all hypo heses and s a is ically signi ican di e ences be ween he employee’s wo k posi ion and amilia iza ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess. The di e ences we e also con i med be ween he em- ployees’ ecei ed educa ion and hei sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess. The e is also as a is ically signi ican di e ence be ween he esponden s’ age and he eed- back om hei supe io s. I ollows ha i is impo an o pay a en ion o hese ac o s o he employee’s p ope adap a ion no only in he social se ice acili y, bu also in any o he es ab- lishmen . DISCUSSION The s udy by Mo is e al. (2021) ocuses on p oposing amodel o he social wo k- e s’ adap a ion. The au ho s s a e ha in he adap a ion p ocess, i is necessa y o ocus on he connec ion o social wo k ac i i ies wi h leade ship, wo k cul u e, and o e all managemen o he social acili y. This p ocess should be pu sued as su- pe ision o coaching o e ec i ely manage he onboa ding p ocess and eedback. This s udy also con i ms ou hypo hesis, which is aimed a examining he impo - ance o eedback om supe io s. The au ho s u he ocused on he examining o he adap a ion p ocess and measu ing he social wo ke s’ loyal y, i.e. how long hey s ay in he acili y. Lin and Wu (2022) s a e ha in he adap a ion p ocess i is necessa y o know he company’s leade ship s yle in o de o achie e eam pe o - mance. In he model, eam pe o mance is in luenced by cha isma ic leade ship, discipline- ocused leade ship, and dominance- ocused leade ship h ough medi- a ion o adap a ion and social in e ac ion. In addi ion, i examines how mode a- o s examine eam beha io and o ien a ion owa ds lea ning goals, which we e also pa o ou esea ch in connec ion wi h he social wo ke ’s sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess. Mille e al. (2021) conduc ed esea ch on he social wo k- e s’ p o essional eadiness a e comple ing he adap a ion p ocess. The da a ep- esen ed asample o 63 esponden s: many esponden s s a ed ha hey we e no eady o mee he equi emen s and challenges hey aced, and ha p o essional suppo was ex emely impo an e en a e comple ing he adap a ion p ocess. The indings sugges ha addi ional suppo o social wo ke s should include men- o ing and pee suppo . In addi ion, he e is aneed o be e employee manage- men wi hin social se ice acili ies. This esea ch can be compa ed wi h he e i- ied hypo hesis ocused on sa is ac ion wi h he adap a ion p ocess, which was he subjec o he p esen esea ch. OPEN ACCESS PETER gaLLO, BEÁTa BaLOgOVÁ, MIRIaMa BORIŠČÁKOVÁ 143 Resea ch by Kumpunen e al. (2023) examines he adap a ion o employees in asocial se ice acili y in he Uni ed Kingdom, s a ing ha he adap a ion p ocess mus include in o ma ion on he s uc u es, p ocesses, and esul s o ac i i ies. In he esea ch, hey s a e ha adap a ion p ocesses ha e no been clea ly desc ibed. The adap a ion p ocess also includes inc easing employee engagemen , which was examined by Siyal (2023). The esea ch has shown ha he in e ac i e mo i a ion amewo k has con ibu ed o he posi i e impac o inclusi e leade ship on em- ployee engagemen in he onboa ding p ocess. In he esea ch, he au ho con i med he ela ionship o leade ship wi h men al sa e y and wo k engagemen . Acco ding o he s udy, hese ela ionships inc ease wo k engagemen and also he willingness o wo k in asocial se ice acili y o along ime. The issue o managing people and in ela ion o he adap a ion p ocess o social wo ke s in social se ice acili ies was also add essed by Song e al. (2023). Thei esea ch shows ha e hical leade ship con ib- u es o he inno a i e beha io o social wo ke s and o long- e m ac i i y in social se ice acili ies. On he con a y, in an en i onmen wi h low inno a i e ac i i y o he adap a ion and pe sonal p ocess, employee u no e p e ails a ahighe a e. CONCLUSION In conclusion, he ini ial conside a ions de ined in he in oduc ion and in he heo- e ical basis o he s udy we e con i med. The esea ch on he adap a ion o social se ice wo ke s holds signi ican ele- ance o se e al easons. Social wo k is ahighly demanding p o ession ha equi es subs an ial expe ise and commi men . Despi e i s socie al impo ance, i is o en unde alued in inancial e ms. In his con ex , social se ice p o essionals p ima - ily se e he b oade objec i es o he social wo k discipline a he han hei indi- idual in e es s. F om ap ac ical s andpoin , ensu ing e ec i e adap a ion p ocesses is c ucial o mi iga ing wo k- ela ed s ess, auma, and bu nou . Social wo ke s play an essen ial ole in assis ing indi iduals, amilies, communi ies, and o ganiza- ions in achie ing s abili y and p og ess. Jus as social wo k clien s equi e empowe - men and suppo , social wo ke s hemsel es mus unde go con inuous p o essional de elopmen o enhance hei compe encies and, in u n, imp o e clien ou comes. Ano he c i ical implica ion o his esea ch is he concep o adap abili y, which en- compasses cogni i e, emo ional, and physical dimensions. Gi en he dynamic na u e o he social wo k en i onmen , p o essionals mus be equipped o adjus o e ol - ing challenges and con inuously e ine hei app oaches o clien ca e. Awell-s uc- u ed adap a ion plan os e s esilience, enabling employees o na iga e wo kplace challenges mo e e ec i ely and sus ain hei p o essional g ow h. Each expe ience will allow hem o gain mo e esilience and be p epa ed o many o he si ua ions ha may a ise. Social wo k, by i s e y na u e, is o ien ed owa d p oblem-sol ing and inno a ion, compelling p ac i ione s o seek no el solu ions ha op imize cli- en well-being. The abili y o adap is hus in eg al o bo h pe sonal and p o essional sa is ac ion. This knowledge is sel -managemen in e ms o implica ions o social wo k and i s employees, which o ces social se ice employees o cons an ly look o new ways ou o agi en si ua ion. In social wo k, esponsibili y is o en shi ed o OPEN ACCESS