This article analyses the significance of social innovations for strengthening the professional well-being of social workers in the context of sustainable development. The sustainability of the social services sector depends not only on the accessibility, quality, or institutional infrastructure of services, but also on the professional well-being of specialists who work daily with individuals experiencing social risk, exclusion, and complex life difficulties. The article raises the issue of how social innovations can contribute to strengthening the professional well-being of social workers in social service organisations. The aim of the study is to reveal social workers’ attitudes towards the significance of social innovations for their professional well-being.
The study is based on a qualitative research approach. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview method, and five social workers with practical experience in the field of social services participated in the study. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The research results revealed that the professional well-being of social workers is most negatively affected by high workload, emotional tension, administrative burden, insufficient organisational support, limited opportunities for supervision, and a lack of professional recognition. The study participants associated social innovations not only with the implementation of technological tools, but also with clearer work organisation, reduction of administrative burden, team-based decision-making, employee involvement in changes, accessibility of supervision, and strengthening of professional support systems. The study revealed that social innovations can become a significant precondition for strengthening the professional well-being of social workers only when they are implemented systematically, in a participatory manner, and respond to the real needs of employees’ professional practice. In the context of sustainable development, such innovations contribute not only to employee well-being, but also to the creation of a higher-quality, more resilient, and socially sustainable social services system.
Publication Date: 2026-06-11