What employers may learn from English higher education institutions: A fortigenic approach to occupational stress

Abstract

Whilst there is no denying that levels of occupational stress in staff working in universities and colleges are increasing, academic staff, in particular, continue to maintain a level of satisfaction from their jobs. A stratified random sample of staff working in 14 higher education institutions in England was used. The results showed that, whilst commitment was lower and levels of occupational stress were significantly higher with regard to work relationships, control and resources and communication, compared to the normative data, staff reported significantly lower levels of stress relating to work-life balance, overload, and job dissatisfaction. Compared to normative data, participants reported significantly lower levels of physical ill-health and psychological outcomes of stress. The results support previous findings identifying a protective effect of job satisfaction against the negative consequences of workplace stress. Opsomming Terwyl dit nie ontken word dat die vlak van werkstres van personeel wat in universiteite en kolleges werk, verhoog nie, ervaar akademiese personeel steeds tevredenheid met hul werk. ’n Gestratifiseerde ewekansige steekproef van personeel wat by 14 hoër opvoedkundige instellings in Engeland werk, is geneem. Die resultate het aangetoon dat hoewel verbondenheid laer en werkstres beduidend hoër was ten opsigte van werksverhoudinge, kontrole en bronne en kommunikasie vergeleke met normatiewe data, personeel beduidend laer vlakke van stres ten opsigte van werklewe balans, oorlading en werkstevredenheid getoon het. Deelnemers het ook beduidend laer vlakke van fisieke ongesondheid en psigologiese uitkomstes van stres gerapporteer. Die resultate ondersteun vorige bevindings wat ’n beskermende effek van werkstevredenheid teen die negatiewe uitkomstes van stres identifiseer.