An Exploratory Study Into the Aspects of Work-life Balance Among Academics in Australian Universities

Abstract

This is an exploratory study on the work-life balance of academics in some Melbourne institutes of higher education. It is important to explore this area of their lives as academics constantly face changes in terms of scope and workload. They also form the foundation of institutions of higher education. This research was done to explore where these institutes of higher education stand in terms of achieving SDG goal number 3, which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, for their academics through exploring academic lives and well-being. SDG or Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), refers to one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The reputation and success of institutes of higher education lie fundamentally in the work of its academics so any significant disruption to their health and well-being will have a negative impact on their quality of work and their organisation’s performance. This study revealed a negative impact of changes to the academics’ work-life- balance and the failure of their organisations to achieve SDG goal no 3. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviewing was used to interview nine academics, from different institutes of higher education in Melbourne, Australia. The informants included male and female academics from high and low-ranked institutes of higher education, of different positions and ages. This research used convenience and snowball sampling methods. The findings showed that the majority of informants were overworked with no clear breaks for holidays or weekends. The exception was 2 informants who enjoyed good work-life balance and holidays which may be due to their positions as Deans and Head of Programme. While mental health in education has been mainly focused on students, this research has revealed that the mental health of academics from these institutes is at a critical level and needs to be addressed.