Organizational social work. Historical process, definitions and trends

This reflection paper aims to unify the main theoretical references on social work in business field, from a meta-analysis of the research developed by the Occupational Social Work research seedbed of the Social Work Program at Fundacion Universitaria Monserrate. Among others, the following research work were taken as a base: Social Worker Participation in business social responsibility developed by companies operating in Colombia, The professional social worker action in talent management, labor Competencies of the social worker in the area of occupationalhealth. The article is intended to be a reference to the historical understanding of social work in the business field.

Occupational Social Work

Occupational (industrial) social work, one of the newest fields of policy and practice, has evolved since the mid-1960s to become a dynamic arena for social service and practice innovation. Focusing on work, workers, and work organizations, occupational social work provides unique opportunities for the profession to affect the decisions and provisions of management and labor. Despite the risks inherent in working in powerful and often proprietary settings, being positioned to help workers, their families, and job hunters enables professional social workers to have the leverage both to provide expert service and to become agents of progressive social change.