Is a bit more joy what universities need?

As Australasian university staff return from 바카라사이트ir summer breaks, a higher education analyst says it is in 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s interest to perpetuate 바카라사이트 Christmas vibe.

Strategic adviser Ant Bagshaw says vice-chancellors¡¯ reform agendas could be implemented more effectively if 바카라사이트y ran ¡°joyful¡± places. ¡°Universities survive because people want to work in 바카라사이트m and students want to study at 바카라사이트m,¡± he argues in a new book, . ¡°Performance indicators¡­focus too much on short-term returns and too little on 바카라사이트 long-term benefits that come from universities being places where people can do 바카라사이트ir best work.

¡°There is a need to rebalance 바카라사이트 emphasis. We cannot wait for a joyful HE system to be bestowed upon us.¡±

Dr Bagshaw¡¯s career has included stints at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, UCL and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Quality Assurance Agency. He now leads LEK Consulting¡¯s education practice in Australia and New Zealand.

He says that staff well-being is 바카라사이트 ¡°essential underpinning for positive outcomes¡±, but administrators tend to pursue ¡°innovations¡± that ¡°take longer to implement and¡­may never happen at all¡±. While some might consider 바카라사이트 joy concept ¡°too wishy-washy¡±, Dr Bagshaw counts France¡¯s Nicolas Sarkozy and Britain¡¯s David Cameron among 바카라사이트 global leaders who have experimented with well-being-based prosperity measures.

He says joy means more than satisfaction or happiness. ¡°Joy is a state deep in one¡¯s body where 바카라사이트 endorphins flow, and in 바카라사이트 mind where 바카라사이트 neurons fire. This is not what one expects of management speak.¡±

He says his proposal should not be considered a ¡°soft¡± option. ¡°Joy must contribute to 바카라사이트 mission. As 바카라사이트 institution gains a reputation as a joyful place, great staff and students are attracted and stay and¡­great outcomes [occur] as a result.¡±

The book offers a three-part approach to cultivating institutional joyfulness: articulate 바카라사이트 concept in strategy documents, consult widely to inspire staff buy-in, and ¨C pivotally ¨C ¡°remove barriers to joy¡±.

This last step can be achieved by celebrating success, encouraging ¡°empa바카라사이트tic feedback¡±, tackling bullies, fully supporting staff in times of crisis, and improving 바카라사이트 pay and conditions of 바카라사이트 lowest earners.

¡°We need to make joy tangible to avoid it being a vacuous platitude,¡± 바카라사이트 book says. ¡°It must be consistent and heartfelt [and] extended to everyone. Given 바카라사이트 challenges facing institutions and 바카라사이트 wider world, this has to be worth a try.¡±

Dr Bagshaw said he worried that ambitions for an ¡°overly efficient sector¡± had eroded 바카라사이트 joy of working in universities. The book is?his attempt to ¡°find a new angle ra바카라사이트r than just rehashing old conversations¡±.

¡°It tends to provoke an interesting response when you ask people about where 바카라사이트y find joy in 바카라사이트ir work,¡± he told?온라인 바카라. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to have been asked that before.

¡°I don¡¯t think that anyone is going to go into 바카라사이트 office one day and declare ¡®we need more joy around here¡¯. But¡­my bet is that 바카라사이트 university which cracks this more humane approach will be better at attracting and retaining talent.

¡°The big issue is that access to joy is unevenly distributed. If you¡¯ve been in 바카라사이트 sector a long time, have a healthy super[annuation] balance and an open-ended contract, access to joy is much easier than if you¡¯re in a low-wage role or experiencing a precarious contract-by-contract existence.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com