Job Satisfaction Among Gerontological Social Workers in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Little is known about job satisfaction among Canada’s social work workforce in aging, although social workers remain a key component of interdisciplinary care in health and social service settings. This study begins to address this gap in knowledge by examining individual, interpersonal, and job-design factors influencing the job satisfaction of gerontological social workers in Ontario. Data were collected via two online surveys with a sample drawn from the Ontario Association of Social Workers’ membership list (N = 104). A multiple regression model explained 37% of the variance in job satisfaction, F = 5.47[10, 93], p < .001). Three independent variables were significant (positive affect, β = .21; promotional chances, β = .21; and client acuity, β = −.18). The results suggest the importance of promoting strategies for enhancing job satisfaction, advancing promotional opportunities for social work clinicians, and providing educational and clinical supports to clinicians.

KEYWORDS:

• Canada
• gerontology
• job satisfaction
• social work labor force

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Standard Research Grant # 410-2009-2395).