THE FIRST-TIME SUPERVISORS’ EXPERIENCES OF POWER RELATIONS IN SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS: CASE STUDY OF SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISORS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Abstract

One of the fundamental challenges faced by first-time supervisors in supervision relationships often revolves around the hierarchical nature and unequal power dynamics. Becoming a supervisor is one of the transitions applicable in the workplace, which unfold as either an opportunity or a challenge. This article explores the experiences of power dynamics faced by first-time supervisors in the social service professions, using the case study of Social Work supervisors in the public sector. The uniqueness of the public sector lies in its responsibility to render services to citizens in a non-profit manner, which is in direct contrast to the profit motive in case of the private sector. Two challenges worth mentioning are lack of measures for preparing and supporting supervisors for the new role and the notion that the managerial and professional supervision may, sometimes, be characterised by the contradictory needs. This article reports on the qualitative component, a dominant part of the explanatory mixed methods design, with a sample of thirteen social work supervisors selected from the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Social Development. The pragmatist episteme and the triangulation of Experiential Learning and the Transition Theory, served as the underlying paradigm and theoretical framework, respectively. In the main, the study found that redefining of existing relations, the relational and social nature of power in supervision and the educational function in promoting adaptation into the new role were three main findings in this study. The article concludes by stating that putting the measures in place is essential in enabling the first-time supervisors to effectively adapt to their supervisory roles. Keywords: Relational power dynamics Social dimension, Social service professions, Supervision,