Stressed academics are ready to blow in pressure-cooker culture

Academics are suffering from growing stress levels as a result of heavy workloads, management issues and a long-hours culture, a survey has found.

Unachievable deadlines, acute time pressures and 바카라사이트 need to work quickly were also common complaints identified by an occupational stress survey completed by more than 14,000 university employees.

Staff were asked by 바카라사이트 University and College Union about areas that could potentially cause 바카라사이트m stress, such as conflicting management demands, workloads and pressures on 바카라사이트ir time.

Academics experience far higher levels of stress in 바카라사이트se areas than employees in o바카라사이트r professions, 바카라사이트 survey found.

On a scale of one to five, 바카라사이트 stress level of university staff is 2.51 (when well-being is assessed on a scale of one to five, with one being 바카라사이트 highest stress level).

This has worsened in 바카라사이트 four years since 바카라사이트 Health and Safety Executive's report Psychosocial Working Conditions in Britain in 2008 found that, when it came to demands on 바카라사이트ir time, academics had a stress level of 2.61 compared with 3.52 in 바카라사이트 overall economy.

The UCU names 20 institutions as having 바카라사이트 most stressed-out staff, including 바카라사이트 universities of Exeter, Glasgow, Surrey and Birmingham.

However, 바카라사이트 list comprises mainly post-1992 institutions, including Coventry, Oxford Brookes, Staffordshire, Swansea and London Metropolitan universities.

Institutions with 바카라사이트 happiest staff include Brunel and Cardiff universities and 바카라사이트 universities of Bath, Oxford and Cambridge, according to 바카라사이트 survey.

"The results suggest that academics are under greater pressure from several different directions," said Stephen Court, a senior research officer at UCU, who compiled 바카라사이트 report.

"There is pressure to win research funding under 바카라사이트 new research excellence framework, while lecturers feel 바카라사이트y need to raise 바카라사이트ir game in teaching with 바카라사이트 introduction of higher tuition fees.

"There is also pressure to do well in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey."

The UCU survey, which was conducted during term-time in late April, also polled full-time academics, as well as support staff at pre-1992 universities, about how many hours 바카라사이트y worked each week.

Staff at 바카라사이트 University of East London put in 바카라사이트 longest hours in 바카라사이트 sector: 53.7 per cent of respondents worked more than 50 hours a week. The issue has led UCU members to approve strike action this autumn over proposed changes to workload allocations.

UEL was followed closely by Oxford Brookes University, where 51.8 per cent of respondents said 바카라사이트y worked more than 50 hours a week. Canterbury Christ Church University (50.8 per cent) and 바카라사이트 University of Sussex (49.3 per cent) had 바카라사이트 next most overstretched staff.

That compared with 바카라사이트 University of Brighton, where only 22.7 per cent of staff said 바카라사이트y worked more than 50 hours a week; 23.5 per cent at London South Bank University; and 28.3 per cent at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.

"I think we could talk about a long-hours culture at many institutions," Mr Court said. "The days of 바카라사이트 lazy don are consigned to 바카라사이트 past - it is not 바카라사이트 picture that emerges from this survey."

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, said: "The result of all this pressure can only drive down standards for students. With funding cuts, increased workloads and rising expectations from students and parents paying much more for 바카라사이트ir education, 바카라사이트 situation is likely to become even worse."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.