{"id":119706,"date":"2020-11-12T17:23:24","date_gmt":"2020-11-12T16:23:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=119706"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:14","slug":"it-cant-be-the-case-that-students-are-reassured-while-teachers-arent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/11\/12\/it-cant-be-the-case-that-students-are-reassured-while-teachers-arent\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018It can’t be the case that students are reassured while lecturers aren\u2019t\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mental well-being of employees at the university is being put to the test thanks to this crisis. Over the past six months, the number of calls for help concerning mental health<\/a> has risen sharply. According to Roel Pieterman, chair of the trade union consultation body (EUROPA), the Executive Board has not noticeably recognised that there is an actual \u2018state of emergency\u2019 where work pressure is concerned. “What we are asking of people goes far beyond their employment contract.”<\/p>\n

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Roal Pieterman, chairman of EUROPA<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLevien Willemse<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Following courses on online teaching, editing videos and coming up with extra exam questions: These are just a handful of some of the additional tasks that many university staff members have had to deal with since the crisis hit. \u201cPlenty of people have a six-day working week, even though they have a contract for five days,\u201d Pieterman says. \u201cWork pressure and work climate pose problems that should be treated as crises.\u201d<\/p>\n

More recognition should be given to the fact that these issues are just as much a problem among employees as students, Pieterman believes. Students were promised earlier this year that it would turn out to be a good academic year. \u201cBut then you also have to promise that to your staff. It can\u2019t be the case that students are reassured but teachers aren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Assertiveness training and relaxation exercises<\/h2>

The high level of work pressure experienced by staff is nothing new. Years ago<\/a>, the Dutch Labour Inspectorate visited the Erasmus School of Law (ESL). It transpired that one third of the employees suffered from structural stress. \u201cEmployees at the university have been receiving assertiveness training for some time now or are learning to cope more effectively with stress through coaching or relaxation exercises. We at EUROPA do consider that the employer has provided a good amount of support within a very short period of time.\u201d Nevertheless, there is one key point missing in this type of approach, Pieterman maintains. \u201cIf you really want to solve the problem of work pressure successfully, we will all have to decide that we will stop taking on extra work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/h2>