A qualitative investigation of social service workers’ experiences with compassion training in the workplace

Objectives: This study aimed to qualitatively explore the experiences of professionals in social services who completed a compassion training intervention in their workplace. The focus was on understanding how contextual factors influence the implementation of such an intervention. Additionally, the study sought to investigate how the professionals perceive and apply compassion and compassion-related skills after completing the training, with the aim of gaining insights into how they incorporate the competencies from the program into their daily lives both at the micro (personal experience) and macro (implementational barriers) level. Methods: Seven participants (four pedagogical staff workers and three social workers) from a municipal institution in Denmark, who had completed the compassion training in their workplace, were recruited and semi-structured interviews conducted. The data was analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Results: The analysis identified four themes relating to the acceptability of compassion training including: (1) Challenges related to meditation; (2) Follow-up and maintenance; (3) Vulnerability, feelings of psychological safety, and inter-connectedness; (4) and Task overload as a challenge to the implementation of compassion training. The professionals' understanding and use of (self)compassion were grouped into three themes: (1) Boundaries, (2) Mindfulness, and (3) Self-care as a form of self-compassion. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of a supportive environment, managing task overload, and organizational commitment to the implementation of compassion training programs aimed at social care workers.