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03 September 2018 Photo Thabo Kessah
Burnout affects productivity in higher education
Elizabeth Nchapi’s study says burnout has adverse results for both employer and employee.
Staff members who are chronically exhausted may develop a cynical attitude towards their work and are likely to underperform, therefore feeling incompetent or experiencing a sense of reduced accomplishment. This is according to a research study by Elizabeth Nchapi, Head: Finances, on the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus. The study, which formed part of her Master of Arts (Higher Education Studies), also gives a comprehensive view on potential consequences for individuals and the organisation itself.

“The study was informed by my experience as a finance professional working at a higher-education institution where most of the research on burnout has mainly been around academic staff, hence this study focused on administrative staff,” she said.

Work environment stressors for administration staff

“Administrative staff in this sector have a responsibility to provide quality service not only to the academic core business of the institution, but also to the external stakeholders. Their working conditions require extensive multitasking, as they may often be expected to perform external roles or in fields other than their regular functions. Given that they continuously work under these circumstances, members may increasingly suffer from pressure leading to stress and burnout, which is a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by one’s work environment.”

Work-environment stressors that lead to burnout, according to the study, include work overload, student interaction, team conflict, role ambiguity, job insecurity, lack of organisational support, lack of motivation, and workplace bullying.

Results of burnout

“Some of the potential consequences of burnout that have been identified as serious health problems may include, among others, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and respiratory infections,” said Nchapi.

“Previous studies have shown that burnout does not only impact employees’ physical and psychological well-being. It also has significant consequences for the organisations and the employers. These include absenteeism, alcohol abuse, and poor organisational commitment, which ultimately result in poor performance,” she added.

The study further emphasises that personal and organisational consequences cut across the lines of gender, age, race, and employment levels. 

News Archive

It's almost time for Rag procession 2012
2012-01-25

 
This year Rag is bigger and better.

This year’s Kovsie Rag of our universities Bloemfontein Campus promises to stand out head and shoulders above all previous years.

Kovsie Rag and Kovsie Community Service joined hands and is now known as Kovsie Rag Community Service.

For this reason, during this year’s Rag Procession in Heidedal and Mangaung, Kovsie Rag Community Service will distribute food parcels in this community.

The processions in Heidedal and Mangaung will both take place on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 10:00.

In Heidedal participants in the Rag Procession will distribute food parcels at the Twin City Shopping Centre and in Mangaung food parcels will be distributed at the Kenilworth Shopping Centre.

The programme for the Rag Procession is also well underway and first-years are eagerly building floats for this year’s Rag Procession on Saturday 28 January 2012

At 18:00 the main procession will start from the UFS and move to the final destination at Old Greys where DJ Black Coffee and Die Heuwels Fantasties will perform.

For the first time in Rag history, a Mr Rag will this year be crowned together with Miss Rag at the Crowning Ceremony Ball on Friday 3 February 2012.

The purpose of Kovsie Rag Community Service is to raise funds for charity and it is currently the biggest of its kind in South Africa.

“We are in the process of exceeding all expectations” says Pieter Badenhorst, Kovsie Rag officer.

 

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