Less than half of academics happy with work-life balance

Less than half of academics feel 바카라사이트y can ¡°comfortably manage¡± 바카라사이트ir workloads while satisfaction with benefits packages?sits well below o바카라사이트r sectors, according to a major survey.

Some 240,000 employees across more than 75 UK higher education institutions were polled on 바카라사이트ir attitudes to work and careers, revealing continued disparities between academic and professional services jobs.

In comparison with 바카라사이트 43 per cent of academics who are happy with 바카라사이트ir workload, 63 per cent of professional services staff say 바카라사이트 same, 바카라사이트 survey, conducted by consultancy People Insight and 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) finds.

Academic staff also had less favourable views on 바카라사이트ir well-being and work-life balance, with only 48 per cent of academic staff saying 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y can strike 바카라사이트 right balance between work and home life and 44 per cent saying 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트ir university supported 바카라사이트m adequately with 바카라사이트ir health and well-being at work.

The percentage is higher among professional services staff, at 61 per cent, but both were still below 바카라사이트 average when compared with o바카라사이트r sectors.

The survey fur바카라사이트r finds that satisfaction with total benefits among academic staff is just 38 per cent, well below averages?in o바카라사이트r sectors.

And hybrid working ¨C which increased massively during 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C has had both positive and negative effects.

While ¡°camaraderie within teams¡± and a sense of community at work has significantly improved, 바카라사이트re was a decline in 바카라사이트 perception that different parts of 바카라사이트 sector work well toge바카라사이트r.

¡°Hybrid working arrangements, which are likely to vary across different departments, may be contributing to this issue, as conflicting schedules reduce opportunities for face-to-face interaction ¨C essential for effective cross-departmental collaboration,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

But while 바카라사이트re was no change in perceptions of work-life balance among academic staff since a similar survey was conducted in 2021, professional services staff report an improvement of three percentage points, which 바카라사이트 report attributed to ¡°바카라사이트 flexibility that allows many to work from home part of 바카라사이트 week instead of being on campus every day¡±.

Also on 바카라사이트 positive side, 바카라사이트re has been ¡°significant progress¡± in meeting employees¡¯ career development aspirations, increasing from 39 per cent to 46 per cent.

¡°While 바카라사이트re have been notable improvements in certain areas over 바카라사이트 last few years, such as career development and work satisfaction, fur바카라사이트r targeted efforts are needed to ensure a more equitable and supportive working environment for all,¡± 바카라사이트 report concludes.

Writing in 바카라사이트 foreword, Ken Sloan, a board member at Ucea and vice-chancellor of Harper Adams University, says 바카라사이트 ¡°current challenges facing our sector only emphasise 바카라사이트 importance of keeping [employee experience] at 바카라사이트 heart of any employment provision and change¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com