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Burnout affects productivity in higher education, study finds

03 September 2018 Photo Thabo Kessah

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

Pres Steyn turns pink in anticipation of Vryfees

2014-06-06

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Australian artist Cigdem Aydemir vacuum packed the Pres Steyn monument on the Bloemfontein Campus’s Red Plain – in pink. Aydemir’s project, ‘Plastic Histories’, forms part of a public art project that encourages us to evaluate public monuments in their historical context.

By vacuum packing monuments, Aydemir alludes to their significance and preservation. At the same time, though, it reveals the nature of their contentious and gendered historical function. This is because most monuments in post-colonial countries typically celebrate men’s achievements in serving their nations.

In response, this project acknowledges the contribution of women from all races, communities and sexual orientations to the grand narrative of a post-apartheid South Africa.

Aydemir is also developing an app in collaboration with Australian artist Warren Armstrong. This will be used for augmented reality viewing of three city monuments – those of President Brand, General De Wet and General Hertzog. This means that visitors will be able to hold a smart phone or iPad in front of the monuments and view the monuments as if vacuum packed in pink plastic.

In conjunction with the public art project there will be an exhibition of digitally manipulated photographs of nineteen-century and contemporary male monuments in Bloemfontein. These photos will be exhibited at the Johannes Stegmann Gallery at the UFS Sasol Library from 15 July – 1 August 2014.

Public tours on the Bloemfontein Campus and into the city will take place on:

• Tuesday 15 July at 11:00,
• Wednesday 16 July at 14:00, and
• Saturday 19 July at 11:00.

Aydemir’s ‘Plastic Histories’ public art project is part of the UFS Programme for Innovation in Artform Development (PIAD) and the Vryfees arts festival’s partnership with the Australian-based SituateArt in Festivals initiative. This partnership is managed by the Salamanca Arts Centre in Tasmania.