Poor report card for workplace health

A news survey has found that two-thirds of academic and professional staff at Australian universities are encountering conditions that predispose them to burnout and depression.

The findings from the Australian University Staff 2020-2023 Work, Digital Stress and Wellbeing Survey – conducted under the leadership of Kurt Lushington from the University of South Australia in conjunction with Australian Research Council laureate fellow Maureen Dollard – were unveiled recently at a national conference at Curtin University.

The survey spanned a period of four years and elicited input from academic and professional ranks across the country.

Of the 6,200 responses received, 62 per cent were from permanent employees.

Individuals in fixed-term roles constituted 12 per cent of participants while casual employees represented 6 per cent.

The remainder of the responses came from academics with honorary titles and various other positions.

The survey, which sought to map the mental health landscape of university staff, examined levels of psychosocial safety, psychological distress, emotional exhaustion and work pressure.

Psychosocial safety refers to conditions within a workplace that ensure the psychological health and wellbeing of employees. It encompasses the practices, policies and procedures designed to safeguard workers from psychological harm and stress, including aspects such as respect, fairness and protection from bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Disturbingly, about 66 per cent of survey staff reported high or very high risk in this area, signalling a potential deficiency in universities’ psychological support infrastructure and preventive strategies.

The feedback on psychological distress, which measures the presence of adverse symptoms affecting mental health such as fatigue, anxiety and depressive states, was just as concerning.

An alarming 44 per cent of respondents had experienced high to very high levels of psychological distress, emphasising the need for enhanced mental health support.

Levels of emotional exhaustion examined survey participants’ experience of feeling emotionally drained and devoid of emotional energy: a state often synonymous with burnout.

About 66 per cent of participants reported high or very high degree of emotional exhaustion, reinforcing the urgency for institutional measures to mitigate burnout risks.

Lastly, a work pressure metric evaluated the intensity of work demands in terms of task volume, pace and overall workload.

A staggering 75 per cent of those surveyed indicated they had experienced high work pressure, highlighting an overarching need for interventions to recalibrate work demands and alleviate the pervasive stress experienced by university staff.

Collectively, the survey findings indicate a disturbingly high incidence of psychosocial safety risks, psychological distress, emotional exhaustion and excessive work pressure.

The findings should serve as a wake-up call for immediate action to improve mental health and workplace conditions across the higher education sector.

The survey also highlighted that the frameworks used by Australian universities to ensure the psychological wellbeing of their employees are not working.

The findings demand a re-evaluation of current practices and a commitment by universities to invest in the mental health and wellbeing of their staff.

This involves implementing comprehensive policies that address the root causes of stress and burnout such as unreasonable workloads, lack of job security and the absence of a supportive community.

In addition, greater access to mental health resources, providing training on stress management and resilience building, and fostering open dialogues about mental health would add value.

And there must be a concerted effort to adjust workloads and expectations to more sustainable levels.

It will be important to track universities’ progress with their efforts to improve employee wellbeing and enhance participation in surveys like the one just completed.

While the survey attracted 6,200 responses, the sector employs the full-time equivalent of around 130,000 staff.

It is vital a greater number of staff describe their experiences in relation to health and wellbeing.

While some universities invariably take care of staff better than others, all universities need to adopt a holistic approach to employee wellbeing.

Such an approach integrates preventive measures, supportive resources and a culture of care.

It also fosters an environment where academic excellence can thrive alongside personal wellbeing.

Failure to prioritise a safe and healthy university workplace will inevitably come at a significant cost in the not-to-distant future for employees and also their employer.

• Professor Gary Martin is chief executive of the Australian Institute of Management WA