Strategies for meeting needs in Hong Kong social service management: Fostering positive growth in multidisciplinary teams

Social work in Hong Kong was established in the mid-twentieth century and remains emergent. Within human service settings, multidisciplinary collaboration is often impeded by medical dominance, professional stigma, and rigid hierarchical structures that can result in social workers experiencing disempowerment and low morale. This qualitative study aims to understand the perspectives of healthcare professionals in Hong Kong to enhance multidisciplinary collaboration and team effectiveness. Six semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 34 professionals from frontline and management levels. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and the findings highlighted that need-driven strategies such as need-fulfillment support and supervision, peer-learning opportunities, non-hierarchical communication platforms, and the strength-based mindset can promote collaboration and empowerment, offering guidance for social work organizations in addressing complex social challenges in Hong Kong’s multidisciplinary settings. Future research could explore the role of organizational policies and leadership in promoting a supportive working environment and strength-based work culture.