This Spotlight on Research features a study on burn-out in post-secondary education. Research dating back to 1989 (possibly further) identified concerns about increasing employee stress levels occurring in higher education. As a result of the pandemic, numerous new studies on faculty burn-out have been initiated. A recent qualitive study by Koster and McHenry (2023) analyzed narrative comments on a survey assessing burnout and well-being to identify factors that contributed to faculty feelings of disengagement and exhaustion.
From the Abstract: “This analysis provides insight into why health science faculty may be experiencing feelings of disengagement and exhaustion in their work. Enhanced workload and lack of community during the pandemic were major drivers of this phenomenon. Flexibility in workload, genuine concern and appreciation expressed by institutional leaders, and accessible wellness opportunities may help to offset these negative feelings.”
The full article can be found at:
Koster M, McHenry K. Areas of work-life that contribute to burnout among higher education health science faculty and perception of institutional support. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023 Dec;18(1):2235129. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2235129. PMID: 37463330; PMCID: PMC10355682.
