The findings show that academic staff experience more stress than support staff. On a scale from 1 to 10, where a higher score indicates a better situation, they score an average of 4.7 compared to 5.6 among their non-academic colleagues. They also report a higher workload and poorer work-life balance.
Almost 30 percent of all staff experiencing work-related stress have been dealing with it for more than three months. High job demands, such as heavy responsibilities and excessive workloads, are cited as the main cause. Over a quarter of staff say they do not have enough time to do their work properly, and 20 percent say they need two to four extra hours each week to complete their tasks.
Fewer people would now recommend the university as an employer. The main reasons given are lack of job security, too much bureaucracy and a high workload.
Flexible work arrangement appreciated
At the same time, employees appreciate being able to split their time between working from home and the office. More than 80 percent say they are satisfied with this flexibility. Team collaboration is also rated positively. In addition, 70 percent of staff feel they belong, and 80 percent feel free to be themselves at work.
More than 70 percent of staff have worked on their (career) development over the past year. The majority believe the university provides sufficient opportunities for professional development. Of those who did not use these opportunities, half cite lack of time as the reason.
A total of 2,016 staff completed the survey, which is nearly 60 percent of the total number of employees.
