Professions and change in welfare (state) organizations: Subject-related experiences for institutional transformation of the welfare state

Abstract

Previous debates in welfare state research often indicate that changes in welfare state assistance go along with increased pressure with regard to cost, control and standardized work processes for employees involved in service sector organizations. However, this article challenges the notion of standardized work processes of employees involved in welfare state organizations that go along with legal and institutional regulations. Based on specific processes of change in the work organization and work practices, the article shows how employees in welfare state organizations – in this case, a job center and an institution for homeless women – use their scope of action and what those involved believe is the effect of this scope of action in professional interventions.