Compassion fatigue, also known as secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma, is a condition characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion, often experienced by individuals who provide care, support, or assistance to people who are suffering or traumatized. This phenomenon commonly affects professionals in helping and caregiving roles such as healthcare workers, social workers, counselors, and first responders as they’re constantly exposed to secondary traumas. This study investigates five domains of worker well-being of social services employees at a local Homeless Services Agency in King County. Seventy-five social workers and case managers were invited to participate in the online, anonymous survey that contains the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Worker Well-being Questionnaire. This questionnaire consists of sixty-eight questions related to work evaluation and experience, workplace policies and culture, workplace physical environment and safety climate, health status, and home, community, and society. We hypothesize that those who have been employed at the Compass Housing Alliance for more than 2 years will exhibit higher compassion fatigue through their survey responses. The insights gathered will aid in understanding the working environment on service employees’ well-being. Results will offer areas to support workers and hopefully serve to mitigate the potential development of compassion fatigue among staff members.

As the percentage of individuals facing homelessness rises, many organizations working closely with unhoused populations aim to secure consistent housing and essential resources for those who lack this necessity. There are roughly 14,000 individuals facing homelessness in the greater Seattle area. Previous studies have shown positive correlations between employee well-being and job performance. Our research aims to investigate worker well-being among staff members who are currently employed at the Compass Housing Alliance, an organization working closely with unhoused populations to provide both housing and access to other essential needs. This research utilizes the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) worker well-being survey. We collected data on five factors that influence the perceptions of 75 staff members on their overall well-being including workplace safety, mental wellness, leadership support, coping strategies and job satisfaction. Expected results from our survey indicate that staff members' perceptions significantly impact their overall well-being. Collecting data using quantitative methods enables us to gain a deeper understanding of these current perceptions in order to utilize relevant resource implementation in areas where gaps are identified to support the needs of staff and improve their well-being.