Administrator burnout risks ‘destabilising’ universities

Seven in 10 professional services staff feel unable to step away from work during holidays, according to new research that warns that burnout risks “destabilising” universities.

Though widely known among academics, a paper, published in Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, examines the under-researched “wide-ranging, multi-sector phenomenon” among administrative staff in the UK.

It found some “disturbing trends”: more than half reported regularly working more than 10 hours per day, more than 67 per cent said they experience frequent, disruptive interruptions, and two-thirds worked during their free time.

The results show that 59 per cent of professional services staff worked during scheduled annual leave, and a further 10 per cent cancelled their holiday entirely.

Relying on a relatively small core of professional services staff, author Kelli Wolfe, deputy academic registrar at the University of Roehampton, said a squeeze on the core services undermines an institution’s ability to deliver services for students.

“As individuals experience burnout, many choose to leave their employer or the sector altogether, destabilising the teams left behind and adding further financial burden to the already stretched purse in a continuous, self-defeating cycle,” she told Times Higher Education.

“Among colleagues, one often hears the sector relies on ‘adrenaline and goodwill’ to stay afloat. This is not a sustainable business model.”

Gail Kinman, visiting professor of occupational health psychology at the University of Birkbeck, University of London said staff burnout reduces productivity, slows down essential operations, limits the quality of student services, triggers high staff turnover, and impacts academics’ ability to focus on teaching and research.

“Burnout among professional services staff will significantly disrupt the overall functioning of the institution,” she added.

The study, which involved a survey of 335 non-academic staff, also revealed that 90 per cent of employees came into work despite feeling unwell, and a majority have to deal with angry or difficult people.

“Professional services staff do crucial work to keep the institution running, academics functioning, and students satisfied, but their work can be invisible,” said Professor Kinman.

With previous research traditionally prioritising faculty, she said a focus on their well-being and work experiences was welcome.

Ms Wolfe said the recent expansion of literature on the higher education sector was testament to the evolution of “third space” professionals.

“It is my hope and ambition that this research can provide a useful baseline for better understanding the scope of the burnout experience and its current, and potential future, impact on our ability to continue delivering the best possible education for our students.”

She added that staff members working in the sector are “keenly aware of burnout”, which the data supported.

More than 80 per cent reported feeling successful at handling problems, and almost three-quarters admitted to going above and beyond expectations to regularly help their institution and their colleagues.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com