From “Family-Work” Conflict to “Work-Family” Conflict: A Decade of Transformation for Community Social Workers in China

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the professional dilemmas faced by community social workers in mainland China. To gain a deeper understanding of this social phenomenon, this study centered on a medium-sized community in Zhengzhou, a city in central China and employed qualitative research methods, including participatory observation, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews. Three focus groups were conducted with 19 social workers from this medium-sized community, covering various topics. From these participants, 10 were selected for semi-structured interviews using judgmental sampling. Drawing on the spillover theory of work-family conflict, this article categorizes the 10-year transformation of community social workers into three periods: the "family-work" conflict period (2011–2015), the conflict transformation period (2016–2018), and the "work-family" conflict period (2019–2022). According to the study, this conflict transformation led social workers to respond by resigning, seeking a better job or being slack in work. The conflict also has allowed them to rebel against the higher authorities in a unique way while still fulfilling their tasks and making work arrangements. These coping strategies influenced the community talent development and social governance. Recommendations for addressing these issues require more attention and further research in the future.