Appendix 3: Further Responses to the Final Three Questions
The inclusion of this section was deemed necessary as it highlights the breadth and strength of opinion on the issue of work-related stress at Edge Hill. It is important to bring to the attention of everyone reading this report the views of those people who took the time to complete the survey. In many ways, filling in a survey is the last thing people suffering from work-related stress want to do.
Despite that, so many of the academic staff at Edge Hill provided us with detailed, time-consuming responses - it would be wrong of us to ignore these views. The following is a list of many (not all - as there is some overlap) of the responses provided for us.
Has your work made an impact on the quality of your family or social life?
My behaviour has changed. I am more bad tempered and prone to anger and feelings of frustration and powerlessness.
Due to limited study leave have to work on PhD. over the weekend.
What social life??? - an assumption made that you take unfinished work home and at weekends.
Tiredness and irritability. Distance from family felt by feeling down/bad/guilty about feeling this way.
Emotional stress is very difficult for partner - who has similar stressful working life.
Yes, all my energy goes into work, I am too tired of an evening and weekend to do the things I used to do for pleasure. I sleep more than I used to, but don't feel refreshed when I wake.
What do you see as the principal sources of stress in your working life?
A combination of gross incompetence and vindictiveness by management.
High Student numbers. Too much administration work e.g. despatching assignments collating results.
Volumes of students, constant change, lack of teaching resources i.e. classrooms.
Trying to cover too many things at the same time.
Trying to meet deadlines . . . not being able to take a proper lunch break.
Failing computers and lack of positive feedback.
Not knowing the college's direction.
Workload, time constraints, student demands, environment of school of health.
Lack of recognition of effects. Lack of resources and poor environment. Inequality across college.
Do you have any further comments you would like to make about the management of work-related stress at Edge Hill?
What other job can be fundamentally changed on an annual basis? If it is carried out without sufficient discussion it can be a source of stress.
Management must be more supportive and 'proactive' in helping resolve stress issues. Often this is a 'hidden' problem.
[Management] should have as a priority reducing staff stress to enable more real productivity. Instead they chase after any silly idea out there with no attempt at critical judgement - (exactly the skill we're supposed to be inculcating in our would-be graduates).
We need to work smarter and manage our workloads - we need to do this together. It is a llack of control, rather than just sheer workload that generates stress.
Denial is not a helpful response - it would be helpful for colleagues to feel that the organisation is taking this issue seriously.
Senior management could certainly alleviate a lot of my personal stress by having a realistic approach to course numbers - particularly if they were to consult me about them.
It is not management - it is ignored. Human Resources pay lip-service to it but do not manage it.
They appear to listen but never to hear! There are certain individuals bent on a mission to destroy other colleagues rather than support them and to believe any allegation made. "Lettres de cachet" previal!
No reward for work being undertaken - no sense of 'switching off' when college 'never closes' in summer - pressure put on to be there at all times.
My colleagues and I work as hard as we can and are often at 'breaking point'. This seems to be accepted as the norm and 'just the way things are'. I think there is something very wrong about the culture which needs tackling at all sorts of levels.
If you say anything a typical reply is 'well, we are all the same '
I would consider myself fairly assertive but I feel that the structures/personnel in place do not appear to have the power/responsibility to make decisions.
Just to say how well supported I feel by my immediate line manager and also by my mentor who have both been excellent.
Work-related stress could be better managed by identifying staff's career pathway. Those who prefer management or research should be identified and supported in developing their skills to meet their career objectives.
The management of work-related stress is only one facet of management that is not addressed
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