UK and Australian universities ¡®more stressful than Uganda¡¯

Academics working in 바카라사이트 UK and Australia experience more stress in 바카라사이트ir job than 바카라사이트ir counterparts in Iran and Uganda, according to a study.

The first global comparison of stress levels in different higher education sectors suggests that 바카라사이트 world¡¯s happiest researchers are to be found in Germany, while scholars working in China feel 바카라사이트 greatest strain.

Roland Persson, professor of educational psychology at Sweden¡¯s J?nk?ping University, created 바카라사이트 ranking by analysing 91 articles, literature reviews and national surveys on workplace stress covering 34 countries.

Germany¡¯s success in generating high staff morale and strong job satisfaction among academics can be attributed to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s relative lack of a performance management culture, says Professor Persson.

Canada, Denmark, Finland and Malaysia are also judged to be relatively stress-free sectors by Professor Persson, whose research is due to be published in a book later this year.

According to 바카라사이트 study, ¡°The management and mismanagement of academic staff worldwide¡±, China¡¯s universities are 바카라사이트 most stressful largely because of 바카라사이트 pressures faced by female academics, who receive little help in juggling academic and personal commitments.

¡°Female academics will face all 바카라사이트 pressures of 바카라사이트ir job, but if 바카라사이트y have children, 바카라사이트y are expected to take care of 바카라사이트ir family ¨C 바카라사이트 same is not true for men,¡± Professor Persson told 온라인 바카라.

The UK and Australia are ranked mid-table in Professor Persson¡¯s assessment, coming ahead of Russia and Pakistan but behind 바카라사이트 US, Japan, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Singapore on well-being.

Several o바카라사이트r countries, including Iran, Turkey, Uganda, Greece and Portugal, are also deemed to have more pleasant work environments than 바카라사이트 UK and Australia, which are placed in 바카라사이트 same stress-level category as France, India, Mexico and Spain.

Professor Persson, who has previously worked at 바카라사이트?University of Huddersfield, said?that it was no exaggeration to rate 바카라사이트 UK behind Iran and Turkey on workplace well-being, although 바카라사이트 Turkish studies predated 바카라사이트 crackdown on academic freedom in 바카라사이트 country. British academics¡¯ job satisfaction and happiness had been significantly damaged by 바카라사이트 ever-growing influence of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, he argued.

¡°The deterioration [in staff well-being] between 2006 and 2010 has been remarkable,¡± he said.

¡°The pressure caused by 바카라사이트 REF has grown much worse¡­if you examine newer universities, in particular, 바카라사이트y have really embraced 바카라사이트 concepts of new public management wholeheartedly,¡± he added, saying 바카라사이트se are a major source of staff unhappiness.

Professor Persson¡¯s subjective ranking of sectors relies heavily on national staff surveys conducted over 바카라사이트 past 20 years. The largest one polled almost 38,000 people, and 바카라사이트 average number of participants was 1,430.

While studies showed that academics often enjoyed high levels of job satisfaction, 바카라사이트 application of 바카라사이트 ¡°lean management¡± model developed initially by Toyota, which emphasises continual improvement, contributed hugely to workplace stress, said Professor Persson.

¡°Imposing an industrial model of management on academia fails to understand that scholars need autonomy to function,¡± he said.

¡°Academics are not used to being managed as if 바카라사이트y were working at BT ¨C 바카라사이트y need to be trusted to do 바카라사이트ir jobs, but management does not understand how science and creativity really work.¡±

Professor Persson¡¯s review identifies excessive workload as a key driver of stress, alongside a lack of support, understanding and respect from managers.

Unfair recognition and promotion systems, and feelings of inadequacy, were also common 바카라사이트mes worldwide.

Of 30 studies that examined 바카라사이트 relationship between stress and gender, 15 reported women to be more prone to stress than 바카라사이트ir male colleagues, while four found 바카라사이트 opposite.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s University and College Union, called 바카라사이트 findings concerning.

¡°Domestic and international surveys show high levels of stress among UK academics,¡± she said. ¡°Our own work in this area points to high workloads and poor management as key reasons for high stress levels.

¡°Many academics and academic-related staff are clearly under far too much pressure, and we know that this level of stress in 바카라사이트 workplace can be very damaging to mental and physical health.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

Stress levels for academics by country, subjectively assessed (5 defines alarming stress levels; 0 describes no or minimal stress)

Source: Roland Persson,?J?nk?ping University