Two sides of the same coin? What shapes social workers' decisions to stay or leave social service departments.

Abstract

This study examines social workers' decisions to stay or leave social service departments in Israel. Previous research has primarily focused on factors influencing either retention or turnover separately, with limited exploration of common denominators affecting both decisions. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with 22 current and 25 former social workers, we identify three key tensions that influence both retention and turnover: (a) between supportive guidance and supervision and professional isolation; (b) between stable and balanced working conditions and imbalanced, precarious employment; and (c) between a sense of professional accomplishment and meaningful impact and feelings of helplessness and inadequacy. These tensions highlight the multifaceted nature of factors influencing social workers' career decisions, emphasizing common elements that, when present, contribute to retention, and when absent or negative, might cause turnover. The findings contribute to the literature on social work retention by emphasizing the importance of supervisory support, employment conditions, and sense of professional efficacy. Understanding these common denominators can inform strategies to improve working conditions and retention in social services globally. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).