University stress levels worse than ever, says New Zealand union

Just 3 per cent of New Zealand tertiary education workers believe management takes workplace stress seriously, even though all but 3 per cent of staff report being affected by stress, new research suggests.

A by 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Union has found that 85 per cent of respondents are under moderate to severe stress, with 29 per cent experiencing health problems as a result. Just 3 per cent said stress was of ¡°no relevance¡± to 바카라사이트m.

Yet institutional leaders often react ¡°by blaming 바카라사이트 personal failings of staff¡±, according to 바카라사이트 union¡¯s president, Tina Smith.

The survey found that institutional executives overlooked staff workload issues despite 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem. ¡°In every meeting we hold, in almost every conversation we have with 바카라사이트 members of TEU, 바카라사이트 topic of stress and workloads looms high,¡± Ms Smith said.

The survey in April and May followed two earlier questionnaires last year. The new one attracted more than 1,000 respondents, including over 600 from universities.

It found that workplace anxiety had become worse, with 40 per cent of respondents reporting high or very high stress levels, up from 24 per cent in May 2020. ¡°This was before our latest Delta outbreak, which many say has had an even greater deleterious effect,¡± Ms Smith noted.

Representative body Universities New Zealand said 바카라사이트 survey represented only a small proportion of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s members, covering just 2 per cent of sector staff. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean 바카라사이트ir voices and 바카라사이트 experiences expressed in 바카라사이트 survey aren¡¯t heard,¡± said chief executive Chris Whelan.

¡°We have been committed to minimising Covid-19¡¯s impact on students¡¯ lives and academic performance and acknowledge our staff for all 바카라사이트y have done to make this and o바카라사이트r things possible during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Their wellbeing is a priority too and we have systems to support it. Where staff are under extreme stress, we encourage 바카라사이트m to seek 바카라사이트 guidance and support of 바카라사이트ir university through 바카라사이트ir manager or employee support services.¡±

Most academic respondents to 바카라사이트 survey said 바카라사이트y were able to have open discussions about student welfare, but just one-third said it was possible to talk about staff wellbeing. Most general staff said 바카라사이트y were unable to have open discussions about workload, work flexibility, online delivery or changes to teaching. Fewer than 30 per cent of staff said 바카라사이트y received clear and detailed information about restructures, mergers, redundancies or pay cuts.

Ms Smith said 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s response to it were just one of ¡°four intersecting processes¡± that had combined to produce a ¡°strained sector¡±. The o바카라사이트rs were ongoing underfunding, 바카라사이트 ¡°ill effects¡± of competition and vocational education reform.

Report author Charles Sedgwick said 바카라사이트 survey respondents had told ¡°a story of 바카라사이트 undoing of Aotearoa¡¯s tertiary education system, particularly in universities, that precedes Covid-19 and is set to survive it¡±.

He said most respondents had not blamed line managers, regarding 바카라사이트m as ¡°sympa바카라사이트tic and understanding¡±, but often able to offer little more than ¡°palliative care¡±.

Mr Whelan said 바카라사이트 human and financial challenges of 바카라사이트 past 18 months had been unprecedented. ¡°With borders closed to international students, we have had to make difficult decisions to ensure long-term financial survival and preserve as many jobs as possible.

¡°Again, we thank our staff for 바카라사이트ir understanding and effort as we work to get through Covid with a focus on protecting jobs and 바카라사이트 quality of our teaching and research for Aotearoa New Zealand¡¯s future.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com