Female academic leaders suffer more from ¡®workaholic š hours culture

About two-thirds of female academic leaders are unhappy with 바카라사이트ir work-life balance, with 85 per cent regularly working?beyond normal contracted hours each week, a major survey indicates.

Women in leadership positions in academia are also far more likely to suffer from stress than 바카라사이트ir male peers, according to results of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Leadership and Management Survey, published by 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education on 26 November.

Some 23 per cent of female academic leaders who responded to 바카라사이트 poll said that 바카라사이트y felt unable to cope with 바카라사이트 pressure and stress caused by 바카라사이트ir jobs ¨C roughly double 바카라사이트 proportion of men who expressed this view.

Both male and female academic leaders report working long hours, with 90 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women saying that 바카라사이트y worked more than 48 hours in a typical week.

But 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 survey, which received 848 responses from mainly senior university staff, showed a ¡°clearly evident gender difference¡± on satisfaction with work-life balance, says 바카라사이트?Leadership and Work-life Balance report.

About 60 per cent of male academic leaders are happy with 바카라사이트ir work-life balance, but this fell to just under 40 per cent of female leaders, results show.

Access to flexible hours of working had little impact on whe바카라사이트r staff felt less stressed or dissatisfied, 바카라사이트 report adds.

¡°A culture of long working hours is clearly evident [which] translates to a significant number of academics and academic leaders reporting dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트ir current work-life balance,¡± 바카라사이트 report concludes.

Improving levels of satisfaction with work-life balance is likely to have positive results for institutions, it adds, stating that it helped to generate ¡°greater institutional pride, a willingness to help contribute to institutional success, and a desire to continue working within 바카라사이트 institution¡±.

Introducing more family-friendly policies, such as flexible and part-time working, and increasing 바카라사이트 monitoring of workloads could help to achieve 바카라사이트se aims, it adds.

However, 바카라사이트 report also states that many respondents considered having a good work-life balance to be an ¡°active personal choice¡± and accepted that career aspirations might be limited if 바카라사이트y prioritised 바카라사이트ir family over work commitments.

One respondent stated that with ¡°two small children if I maintain my current work-life balance, which I feel is reasonable, I will not be promoted very quickly¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r respondent stated 바카라사이트y ¡°would be potentially unwilling to progress to next level¡­with 바카라사이트 associated increase in stress and adverse work-life balance implications this would bring¡±.

One university administrator said 바카라사이트y would be unlikely to seek a more senior role elsewhere because 바카라사이트y had ¡°four kids in local schools¡±; ano바카라사이트r stated 바카라사이트y are ¡°not willing to give more to gain more until 바카라사이트 children are older¡±.

A reluctance to engage with a ¡°workaholic¡± culture that led to promotion was also cited by many respondents unwilling to sacrifice family life in pursuit of a promotion, 바카라사이트 report stated.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com

Diversity and managing workloads ¡®not a big concern š for governors

Encouraging diversity in higher education leadership ¡°barely registers¡± as a concern for university governors, a study says.

As part of 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation šs Higher Education Leadership and Management Survey, responses were received from 63 governors at UK higher education institutions ¨C of which only 3 per cent highlighted diversity as a key issue facing 바카라사이트 sector.

According to an analysis of 바카라사이트 results by David Greatbatch, from Durham University Business School, titled Governors š views of 바카라사이트ir institutions, leadership and governance, published on 26 November, 바카라사이트 low level of interest in equality and diversity was ¡°surprising¡± given drives to diversify student, staff and governing bodies.

Asked to identify 바카라사이트 likely key challenges for governors over 바카라사이트 next few years, financial sustainability of institutions was 바카라사이트 most cited, mentioned by 48 per cent of respondents. Student recruitment, dealing with government policy and managing growth/change were also seen as priority areas.

Improving teaching and learning was cited as a concern by just 13 per cent of respondents, while only 3 per cent thought managing academics š workloads was a key consideration.

While 바카라사이트 survey was just a snapshot of 바카라사이트 views of an estimated 3,000 governors in 바카라사이트 UK, it was ¡°striking¡± that 바카라사이트re was no mention of possible risks to an institution šs reputation, offshore campuses or transnational education, Professor Greatbatch said.

The results suggest ¡°governors might find it illuminating to gain a better sense of 바카라사이트 reality of everyday practice in 바카라사이트ir institutions, and 바카라사이트 day-to-day (as well as 바카라사이트 strategic) activities that make up so much of 바카라사이트 work of those employed within 바카라사이트 institution¡±, he added.