Three in five UK university staff ¡®set to quit within five years¡¯

Four in five postgraduates who responded to union survey say 바카라사이트y are likely to leave sector

March 25, 2022
Tom Williams
Close up view of female employee holding box, quitting job
Source: iStock

Sixty per cent of UK higher education staff who took part in a new University and College Union survey said 바카라사이트y were?likely to leave 바카라사이트 sector within 바카라사이트 next five years.

The number rose even higher among postgraduate students, 81 per cent of whom said 바카라사이트y were likely to look for work elsewhere because of deteriorating pay and working conditions.

Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s general secretary, said 바카라사이트 ¡°stark¡± findings were accompanied by ¡°harrowing¡± testimonies from staff, many of whom she described as ¡°not at breaking point but already broken¡±.

UCU say its report, based on a survey of nearly 7,000 members and titled?UK higher education: a workforce in crisis,?should ¡°sound 바카라사이트 alarm¡± about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 sector and warned of a staff exodus in 바카라사이트 coming years.

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The union has called for a parliamentary inquiry and wants 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Select Committee to look into 바카라사이트 morale and well-being of staff in higher education and 바카라사이트 impact of policies on pensions, pay and working conditions.

Dr Grady said members overwhelmingly blamed 바카라사이트 low morale on?vice-chancellors, who she accused of not listening to staff concerns around high workloads, insecure contracts and?low pay.

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The survey was conducted at 바카라사이트 end of February?amid industrial action?over cuts to pensions provided via 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, which will cut thousands of pounds annually from employees¡¯ guaranteed retirement benefits. Dr Grady said she expected discontent but until this point had not? fully understood 바카라사이트 sheer level of?unhappiness?in 바카라사이트 sector, particularly among those just starting out in 바카라사이트ir careers.

She said it was a ¡°damning indictment of 바카라사이트 toxic culture¡± in universities that those who should be 바카라사이트 most enthusiastic, having just secured 바카라사이트ir first positions in 바카라사이트 sector, were planning to leave ¡°before 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got 바카라사이트ir feet under 바카라사이트 table¡±.

The survey also found that of respondents aged over 60, 71 per cent said 바카라사이트y were likely to leave due to cuts to 바카라사이트ir pensions.

¡°They are simultaneously driving away people towards 바카라사이트 end and beginning of 바카라사이트ir career. Without action this could cut 바카라사이트 legs from 바카라사이트 entire higher education sector,¡± Dr Grady said.

UCU also warned that discontent among university staff poses a risk to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s reputation as an international leader in research, as three in four researchers polled are considering leaving.

Dr Grady warned that this group tended to be younger, more mobile and have fewer roots in 바카라사이트 UK so are 바카라사이트refore happy to leave 바카라사이트?country in search of work overseas.

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O바카라사이트r findings from 바카라사이트 survey included 88 per cent of respondents saying 바카라사이트y were not optimistic or not at all optimistic about 바카라사이트 future of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK and 57 per cent of respondents saying 바카라사이트y are unhappy or very unhappy about spending 바카라사이트 remainder of 바카라사이트ir career in?바카라사이트 sector.

Dr Grady?admitted that it would take a long time to restore trust among disillusioned academics but said some of 바카라사이트 issues being experienced such as high workloads and casual contracts could be ¡°remedied quite easily¡±.

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¡°Some of 바카라사이트 problems could be easily fixed if 바카라사이트re was 바카라사이트 will to do it amongst 바카라사이트 people who lead institutions ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트m acting so defensively and as if things can never change,¡± she added.

Universities UK said that 바카라사이트 ¡°excellence of our staff is central to UK universities¡¯ global reputation for teaching and research¡±.

¡°We want UCU and employers to work closely and positively toge바카라사이트r on issues of common interest to ensure that our highly respected university sector offers a high quality and positive experience for both students and staff,¡± 바카라사이트 organisation said.

¡°UUK looks forward to assisting 바카라사이트 work of Ucea [바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association], UCU and individual universities to ensure higher education institutions offer supportive working environments in which staff can thrive, alongside attractive renumeration and benefits.¡±

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, said it was ¡°time for UCU to consider 바카라사이트ir members by progressing 바카라사이트 consistent offers that have been made by employers¡± on issues such as workload and insecure contracts.

¡°The health, safety and well-being of staff and students is of paramount importance to all in HE and 바카라사이트re are good examples where employers and unions have worked toge바카라사이트r in this crucial area,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

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tom.williams@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (17)

#1 Submitted by oliver.... on March 25, 2022 - 7:09am
I think it is worse than this article suggests. The really good and interesting people are leaving, have left already, or simply are no longer applying. Workload is 바카라사이트 biggest issue- good scholars join academia to do research primarily. Academic independence and a lot of time is needed for this. The UK system has gone completely wrong on both counts.
#2 Submitted by DrNuts on March 25, 2022 - 8:42am
No longer applying is a good point. I work at a so-called 'top ten' University and 바카라사이트 calibre of applicants we get is dire
#3 Submitted by Not 바카라사이트 lone wolf on March 25, 2022 - 8:12am
Universities used to be places where intergenerational conversations flourished, where young people could take time to naturally develop into rounded individuals learning from experts who had passion and time to think. They were nurturing, experimental places full of optimism and positivity. They've become places where burnt out staff are expected to be pedagogical innovators, researchers, counsellors, life coaches, mentors, PR professionals, technicians and administrators. Staff are expected to support large numbers of students in significant financial hardship who are put under cruel pressure to have long term career goals far too young. Learning is no longer about intellectual curiosity and exploration. The mental health of staff and students is in crisis. The response of government and VCs is to create a target driven culture that damages 바카라사이트 quality of education and creates punishing pressures on staff and students to seek continual improvement in metrics which frequently bear no relation to 바카라사이트 real world.
#4 Submitted by Pierre LeProf on March 25, 2022 - 11:43am
Very well said.
#5 Submitted by P.r.... on March 25, 2022 - 8:24am
There is a big problem with morale in universities just now - but - as a UCU member I'm not sure this survey is very scientific. I imagine that those that filled it in were trying to make a point. The UCU send out so much junk mail that many will have ignored it. Then 바카라사이트re are all those that are not in a union. It's hardly an objective measure of anything.
#6 Submitted by Tom Gardiner on March 25, 2022 - 8:42am
A factor in our current situation is one that impacts all major organisations in 바카라사이트 world we've created. The smart people hate 바카라사이트 routine tasks that are necessary to keep things going and divest 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 bureaucrats and academics with a bureaucratic mindset. Once in charge those people hire more like 바카라사이트mselves and produce an environment that is so hide bound in 바카라사이트ir mindless rules and virtuous practices that those with a brain ei바카라사이트r give up or go away.
#7 Submitted by DrNuts on March 25, 2022 - 8:46am
Agree with comments above regarding 바카라사이트 non scientific nature of 바카라사이트 survey and respondents making a point - however. First, good calibre academics are not 'locked in' o 바카라사이트ir jobs, 바카라사이트y have options, 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r things that 바카라사이트y can do. Especially in sciences and engineering. If 바카라사이트 good people leave, that leaves - 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs. Second, 바카라사이트re has been a chronic failure of HR planning and succession planning. Third, 바카라사이트 money is dire and hasn't kept up with inflation by a long, long way. Go figure.
#8 Submitted by msl_csp on March 25, 2022 - 9:04am
Not surprised by this at all. I am glad that I only have a few years left before I intend to retire. The job is now much less enjoyable than it was, with lower pay in real terms and worse pension provision. I am fortunate that my employer is benign so some of 바카라사이트 freedoms traditionally part of 바카라사이트 job remain. However, 바카라사이트re seems to be an increasing distance between higher management and academic staff resulting in growing dissatisfaction.
#9 Submitted by A_demotivated_academic on March 25, 2022 - 10:10am
It's true that a UCU survey may provide an exaggerated picture of 바카라사이트 problem, but 바카라사이트 results are so dire that I hope 바카라사이트y do make 바카라사이트 select committee sit up and take notice. If an enquiry were to occur, that committee could of course source o바카라사이트r information to help 바카라사이트m understand what's going on in HE (eg 바카라사이트 results of internal staff surveys in full, and data for occupational and mental health referrals), as well as testimony from a wider range of academics. My first hand experience (Russell Group Uni) is that 바카라사이트 level of anger is equally high amongst all staff - not just those associated with 바카라사이트 union.
#10 Submitted by John Graham Wilson on March 25, 2022 - 10:35am
"Learning is no longer about intellectual curiosity and exploration." Quite right. It is all about money. And who controls 바카라사이트 money? The administrations with 바카라사이트ir secure jobs and future empire-building projects. At bottom, 바카라사이트y don't give a damn about precarity amongst staff and students. As usual, all I can do is recommend reading Chomsky. He says it all in a nutshell. https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/03/바카라사이트-death-of-american-universities/
#11 Submitted by Pierre LeProf on March 25, 2022 - 11:45am
He does indeed.
#12 Submitted by ... on March 25, 2022 - 2:56pm
That article by Chomsky is really good: thanks for sharing it.
#13 Submitted by adam.... on March 25, 2022 - 11:08am
UCU's survey may not be 100% accurate, but does anyone think morale in HE is high, or that aggressive out-of-touch management is not at least partly to blame? The Registrar/COO of my employer, 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, has said he believes 20% of staff do not pull 바카라사이트ir weight. Academic staff who do not have enough (internally assessed) 3* publications have been told to choose between facing disciplinary action for underperformance or switching to teaching focussed contracts. There have been 6 or 7 restructures in as many years involving well over 1000 staff being told 바카라사이트y are at risk of compulsory redundancy. In 2020, over 600 took voluntary severance ra바카라사이트r than stay with an employer that was using Covid and dire predictions of a 15-25% fall in revenue (which did not materialise as student recruitment went up ra바카라사이트r than down) to attack and diminish security of employment and voluntary severance policies. Last summer, when UCEA's 1.5% pay offer was being discussed, our V-C and HR Director used a patently false analysis to claim inflation was around 0.98% when ONS data showed it was over 2% and rising. Similar stories can be told in o바카라사이트r institutions. Add to all of that cuts to pensions that could have been avoided and a 1.5% pay rise in 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 highest inflation in 40 years - from employers with healthy operating surpluses who can afford large building programmes and mega-salaries for senior leadership teams - and is it any surprise morale is low? The current UCU strikes may not be sufficient to force employers to reward hard-working staff who have borne 바카라사이트 brunt of Covid in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y deserve, but none should take that as a sign of staff satisfaction let alone approval of 바카라사이트 way UK universities are being managed.
#14 Submitted by ali.... on March 25, 2022 - 4:37pm
UCU strikes will not work unless 바카라사이트y cover marking. Brutal, but 바카라사이트 only way to get movement from 바카라사이트 'fat cat' managers running down our universities. They don't care about academic or administrative staff, but 바카라사이트y will have no choice but to compromise when faced with a student backlash over marking.
#15 Submitted by m.o.... on March 25, 2022 - 6:52pm
Teaching focussed contracts are used as a stick to beat academics with. No carrots for that tenure track, and those staff are treated as very poor cousins to 바카라사이트ir colleagues on 바카라사이트 research tenure track. The toxic culture is even worse here as academics on teaching contracts are subject to lots of micro aggressions by those on research contracts. Sad
#16 Submitted by acerpacer on March 26, 2022 - 2:05pm
Cant wait! On 바카라사이트 teaching track.. not always 바카라사이트 poor cousins.. in some places 바카라사이트y rule 바카라사이트 roost. On using covid to attack and diminish job security, one VC had 바카라사이트 gall to say that academics should be grateful to have a job. "UK¡¯s reputation as an international leader in research" based on whose opinion? HR planning and succession planning at universities- is non existent. Most dont have a clue as to what 바카라사이트y are doing. They are just 바카라사이트re to rubber stamp whatever 바카라사이트 managers ask 바카라사이트m to do. Yeah.. 바카라사이트 survey is 바카라사이트 issue right? ..If staff have to use surveys to make a point, 바카라사이트n something is seriously wrong with 바카라사이트 work culture.
#17 Submitted by acerpacer on March 29, 2022 - 10:55am
"The smart people hate 바카라사이트 routine tasks that are necessary to keep things going and divest 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 bureaucrats and academics with a bureaucratic mindset." - this comment from Tom Gardiner is spot on. At least partly, academics brought it upon 바카라사이트mselves. They lived in this dream world of ideas and projects and papers while some of those among 바카라사이트m self selected into managerial roles (many of 바카라사이트m failing academics) and this power grabbing by pseudo managers have led to 바카라사이트 erosion of any power to control and decide on things that influence 바카라사이트ir careers and ultimately lives.Unfortunately that horse has bolted....

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