Corporate America ready for social workers.

• Position: Counseling

Social work has evolved from a profession focusing on people living in poverty to one associated with governmental programming to one offering counseling and health-related services in nonprofit and private-practice settings, but now there is a new emerging trend: social workers are moving into Corporate America, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a nearly 20% growth in social work jobs by 2022, with many of them in the private sector outside of what used to be the "normal" social worker's environment.

"Today's corporations are expected to be socially responsible. People no longer are just looking for a product or service; they also pay attention to how companies contribute to the greater good in society and in their employees' lives," says Cossy Hough, clinical assistant professor of social work at the University of Texas, Austin. "Communities expect corporations to give back in some way, and thus corporate social responsibility helps companies be successful.

"Companies are moving toward more horizontal management and integration. That is, they are putting less emphasis on vertical management and more emphasis on members of a company at all levels working toward a common purpose. Communication and human connection are essential for success in this increasingly horizontal environment. As corporations adapt to these new developments, I believe they will actively seek out professional social workers, much as the health care system has done.

"Imagine if you owned a business and you had an employee who had been trained on human behavior, communication, and conflict resolution? What if this employee also knows about diversity and organizational structure as well as the skills needed for invested listening and relationship building? Moreover, what if this employee had a background in providing mental-health services related to substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and grief and loss? How could this employee contribute to the success of your business?"

Social workers play a variety of roles in corporate settings. One of the better-known ones is that of counselor in an employee assistance program, as they can address issues that employees may...