4.6 Foster excellence in our organisation

We want our organisation to be an excellent place to work. Colleagues should feel informed, consulted and engaged. Our values of collaboration, equity, inclusivity and integrity should form the basis of all our interactions. We will invest in learning and development and ensure our collective effort is focussed on outcomes for the social work profession.

Strategic objective: foster an inclusive, trauma informed and values-driven organisational culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, develops leadership at all levels, and supports a resilient, empowered workforce

Outcome: a healthy, motivated, and high-performing workforce that feels valued, supported, and equipped to lead and deliver excellence in social work

During 2026/27 our work in this area will focus on:

• ensuring our staff are informed, engaged and consulted as the National Social Work Agency is embedded in the Scottish social work landscape
• ensuring staff are informed and actively involved in national developments that support the social work profession
• establishing internal communications channels to keep staff informed and connected with colleagues
• developing a culture and leadership where psychological trauma and its impacts are understood and we work in ways which support our workforce to thrive
• improving systems, resources and processes to support the work we do and to meet the requirements of a new executive agency
• designing work that is shaped by the voices of social workers, people who use services, and our own staff
• creating and promoting a learning and development strategy/plan that makes learning opportunities available for all our staff