‘I have built an office for myself in the sauna’ – The well-being of social workers in liminal space during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

We examine the experiences of Finnish social workers regarding their well-being during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic by analysing social workers’ diaries (n = 33) using thematic analysis. The pandemic and the restrictive measures caused significant changes in work and private lives challenging social workers’ well-being. Restrictive measures provided a kind of liminal space where the boundary between work and private life, daily rhythms and relationships with coworkers and clients were redefined. This exceptional period required challenging demarcations to safeguard the well-being of social workers, but it also provided new options to promote their well-being.