The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (A) and (B)

This case describes the experiences of Michael Sanders—the Chief Executive of the What Works Center for Children’s Social Care—as he led the design and implementation of a program of research aimed at improving the social care system in the United Kingdom (UK) at the national level.
In the course of discussing the case, students are asked to consider the challenges of improving well-being for social workers and to debate the merits and challenges associated with the proposed experiments. The solutions and ideas shared by students illustrate various behavioral science techniques aimed at improving employee well-being by leveraging non-cash rewards and recognition, especially within the context of a financially constrained organization.