Affirming values: using critical reflection to explore meaning and professional practice

Abstract

How important is being able to express values and meaning at work for professional workers? This article explores how critical reflection can be used by workers to explore how meaning can be expressed as part of professional practice in organizations. The literature suggests that health and human service professionals are increasingly expected to work in uncertain, complex, managerial work environments, which can leave workers feeling unable to act according to their values. The resulting loss of meaning has major implications for the quality of their work, job satisfaction and levels of anxiety. This article focuses on the way critical reflection is used at the Centre for Professional Development at LaTrobe University, Australia. Critical reflection, as defined here, is both a theoretical approach and a two‐stage process for exploring practice. Participants bring a specific experience from their practice to explore in small critical reflection groups. Examples are given of how critical reflection has been used and what participants identify this has meant for them. Overall, the process enabled participants to articulate fundamental values in a way that affirmed the meaning of their practice and increased satisfaction and valuing of their work roles.

Keywords:

• critical reflection
• meaning and professional practice

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank those who participated in the critical reflection workshops at ChildFocus (a fictitious name) and to the three postgraduate students whose experience contributed to this article.