scholarly journals The Dilemma of Unrelenting Workload Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: An Agenda for University Female Academics

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-46
Author(s):  
Okeke-Uzodike Obianuju ◽  
Vangeli Gamede

The dynamic changes in the South African higher education environment have seen academics immersed in increasing workloads to keep up with the university mandate. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community and intensified complications related to workload and in particular for female academics. The understanding of the management of workload is pertinent, and therefore the article examines the components of workload and implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for female academics. A descriptive research design and a quantitative research approach were adopted, and data was collected from 54 female academics in an unidentified university in South Africa. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and presented using a descriptive and inferential format. Also, the study adopted a systematic review of literature leveraging reputable sources. The findings revealed that (i) time allocation to academic activities of teaching and learning, research, postgraduate supervision, administration matters, community service, and academic citizenship remains a challenge facing universities, and (ii) Covid-19 imposed remote working arrangements resulting in increased workloads, leading to reduced research productivity and inability to achieve work-life balance for the female academics. The results of the study highlight the need for institutional review and policy development on the academic workload management system to ensure work-life balance for the female academics and output maximization for the university, especially during a pandemic.

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Noorlaila Hj. Yunus ◽  
Siti Musalmah Ahmad Fuad

Work-Life Balance (WLB) is an important factor that the Human Resource Management of private higher education Institution (PHEI) should concern about in order to gain high Job Performance in theinstitution. If there are WLB practices implemented by the university, the Human Resource Department (HRD) must always get feedback from the employees to continuously improve the WLB policy. This will benefit not just the employees but the most important to the PHEI by having a good productivities and high job performance employees. The result shows that most of the employees in the university have good social support from their colleagues at work place, friends and their families. This support have given them inspiration and motivation in doing their job properly and finally they might achieved high job performance. Eventhough the result were positive about the social support the employees receives, the top management including the HRD need to revise their policy of WLBespecially other factors that can influenced the employees to optimized their efforts in doing their job.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Maya Sarikit

The objective of the research is to obtain information about the influence of work life balance and employee engagementon employees job performance onFaculty of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Indonesia .The research was conducted to all of employees onFaculty of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Indonesia by using a survey method with path analysis applied in testing hypothesis. The number 67 employees as sample was selected by using Slovin formula. The result of the study reveals that: (1) there is direct effect of work life balance on job performance. (2) there isdirect effect of employee engagement on job performance. (3) there is direct effect of work life balance on employee engagement. Therefore to enhance employee’s job performance can be carried out by work life balance, and employee engagement.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Rajendra Kumar ◽  
Uma Mohan Mokashi

The authors attempted to investigate how to resolve the growing work-life balance issue occurring due to COVID-19 Pandemic in the higher education sector. On the premise of prominent literature, the study conceptualized a framework to test if supervisor support and employee`s proactive work behavior could help address the work-life balance issue. Through applying the quantitative approach, the study collected data from employees working in a higher education institution in the UK. Results of the structural equation modeling found significant association and influence of supervisor support and work-life balance. The study also found a strong affiliation between proactive work behavior and work-life balance. However, proactive work behavior did not moderate supervisor support and work-life balance relationship. The study concluded that both supervisor support and proactive work behavior could be vital in helping employees to achieve their work goals effectively and efficiently without compromising their work-life balance. The study forwards prominent implications to guide practitioners, policymakers and researchers in this domain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (08) ◽  
pp. 1912-1923
Author(s):  
Wahyudi Fitriyanto ◽  
Andi Sularso ◽  
Diah Yulisetiarini

University of Jember is a large State University with many students registered at Jember University, with the large number of students, it needs teaching staff (lecturers) and education staff in their daily education activities. Teaching and learning activities at the University of Jember starts from early morning hours until the evening so that impact on the workload of educational staff. At work, most people begin to feel there is something else that must be considered in addition to work, namely daily life. Lack of work-life balance is one of the triggers for stress. When an individual does not maintain balance and work too much in an organizational setting, this can lead to psychological and behavioral consequences, as well as low job satisfaction as a result of his/her productivity will also be low. This study aims to analyze mediating effect of Work Life Balance on the relationship between Workload and Job Satisfaction of Employees in Education Contract Staff at the University of Jember. The data used in this study are primary data using questionnaires on 106 respondents determined using purposive sampling technique. Researcher determines the sample taken is the University of Jember education contract staff who work more than 1 year and have shifts work schedules outside regular working hours several days a week. The analytical method used is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis. The results showed that workload and Work life balance had a significant effect on job satisfaction of Education Contract Employees at Jember University.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-71
Author(s):  
Tatjana Ilić-Kosanović

The issue of work-life balance of teaching staff at higher education institutions is becoming more interesting for the researchers due to complexity in responsibilities of teachers which include not only teaching and preparation of lectures, but primarily scientific research and scientific papers writing, as well as various administrative and managerial duties (vice deans, department chiefs, etc.). This topic is getting importance not only in regard to women in higher education teaching positions, but to overall attracting and retaining talent This complex problem has been particularly evident in disaster circumstances such as the COVID-19 virus pandemic. This paper studies attitudes (in the form of interviews) of teaching staff -teaching assistants, lecturers (languages), assistant professors, associate professors and full professors towards the achieved work-life balance during period of working from home during the lockdown imposed in Serbia from March, to May when the most higher education institutions returned to semi-regular ways of operations on the example of the School of Engineering Management from Belgrade, the Republic of Serbia. Even though the sample is small, it can be concluded that all levels of teaching staff have had difficulties in maintaining work-life balance during the work from home, especially the ones with children of school age.


Job stress is present in all types of organizations, even in higher educational institutions. There are various factors that cause stress in the workplace including unwarranted demands and apparent pressures of the work situation and aptitude of the individuals to balance their professional and personal lives. The aim of this paper is to identify the causes of job stress along with studying the impact of stress in maintaining work life balance among female faculties in India’s higher education institutions. This study selected a sample of 208 women faculty members employed in higher educational institutions in Northern India in order to collect primary quantitative data from them using structured close-ended questionnaires. The collected data was analysed using SPSS Software and it was found that improper pay structure and hectic work schedules were the main causes of stress in workplace. In addition, it was also found that due to these stresses has caused a financial problem as well as a decrease in the productivity of the female faculties affecting their work life. Thus, it was implicated that there is a positive relationship between stress and work life


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1634-1651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toyin Ajibade Adisa ◽  
Gbolahan Gbadamosi ◽  
Tonbara Mordi ◽  
Chima Mordi

Purpose Does the self-employed nature of entrepreneurs’ business ventures mean that they have perfect boundaries between their work and nonwork lives? Drawing on border theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine entrepreneurs’ work–life balance (WLB) in terms of how they construct and manage the borders between their work and nonwork lives. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopt a qualitative research approach to enhance their insight into entrepreneurs’ WLB using border theory. The study benefits from its empirical focus on Nigerian migrants in London who represent a distinct minority group living in urban areas in the developed world. Data for the study was collected over a three-month period, utilising semi-structured interviews as the primary method of data collection. Findings The study’s findings indicate that entrepreneurs prioritise “work” over “life” and reveal that entrepreneurs have little desire for boundaries as they work everywhere, which makes long working hours prevalent among them. Furthermore, the findings bring to the fore the prevalent social anomaly of entrepreneurs preferring to be unmarried, single and even divorced as a result of or associated with the entrepreneurs’ boundaries creation and management. Research limitations/implications The extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the limited and selected sample of the research. Practical implications Research on human resource management (HRM) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or businesses in which entrepreneurs operate is still under developed. The issue of the size and the nature of an organisation (i.e. labour or product market influences, ownership structures, etc.) have profound implications for human resources (HR) structures, policies and practices and the quality of the WLB of entrepreneurs. Research on HRM and entrepreneurship is still evolving. Consequently, HRM in several entrepreneurial business ventures is sometimes (if not often) organisationally fluid and ad hoc. The main implication for this work environment is that there may be little structure in HRM policies and processes to help self-employed entrepreneurs in their ability to comprehensively manage border crossing and to achieve WLB. Originality/value This paper provides valuable insights into entrepreneurs’ work/nonwork boundaries, which is hugely influenced by the commodification of time and money. It also enriches work–life border theory and its social constructionist perspective.


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