Corporate Social Work

Abstract

The history of Social Work in Brazil reveals that social workers were always asked to act in the corporate sphere. This professional activity in companies has had distinct forms as the social economic and political scenery of Brazilian society has changed. The 1990’s was marked by intense transformations in the world of work, which considerably affected social relations of work. Companies were restructured and, seeking better quality and productivity, came to demand more qualified professionals, who are flexible and have multiple skills, including social workers. At the same time, there was a significant reduction in jobs available in the profession. Social workers who remained in the corporate universe confronted the new demands of work and were required to meet the expectations of companies. Thus, they invested in professional training and innovation and presented themselves as interdisciplinary generalists, consultants and managers – standing out in the corporate world as professional Human Resource Managers.