Holding Fast by William A. Kahn (2005, Paperback)

Increasing pressure on caregiving organizations to serve more people with fewer resources means that epidemics of burnout, high staff turnover, dissatisfaction and internal conflict often appear inevitable. Holding Fast focuses on the particular stress of caregiving work, its influences on the people and organizations who do that work, and what they can do about it.

Illustrated by case studies based on extensive research in schools, hospitals, social work agencies, health care centers and religious institutions, Holding Fast identifies the problems faced by caregiving associations, and outlines appropriate strategies for tackling these to create a resilient, effective organization. The book is divided into clear sections covering:

* An introduction to the nature of caregiving organizations
* The disturbances that can occur within them
* The skills required to effectively lead them

Holding Fast offers a portrait of how organizations become or are prevented from becoming systems of caregiving. It will help leaders of caregiving organizations and their staff gain a better understanding of the difficulties encountered by their organizations, leading to improved management and practice.