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Ottoline Leyser acknowledgement comes as Research Professional News reveals scale of staff concern
The chief executive of UK Research and Innovation has acknowledged that “high workloads are impacting staff”, as Research Professional News has revealed the scale of concern among employees over the issue.
UKRI staff have raised concerns about bullying, overwork and burnout to senior management, according to notes from internal webinars obtained by Research Professional News under the Freedom of Information Act, while unions have also echoed warnings from staff.
And recently published UKRI board minutes show chief executive Ottoline Leyser raised the issue at a meeting.
The minutes state: “Ottoline highlighted [UKRI’s] change programme and new operating model, noting that their successful implementation requires a change in culture which is now being witnessed throughout UKRI…The time required to implement change, coupled with reduction in staff numbers running ahead of the programme’s efficiency gains means that high workloads are impacting staff. UKRI continues to prioritise and support wellbeing activities to create a healthy workplace that supports the wellbeing of UKRI staff.”
Jane Lancastle, assistant secretary of trade union Prospect, which represents engineers, scientists and other specialists in both the public and private sectors, and which has a UKRI-dedicated branch, told Research Professional News: “It is good to see senior management accepting that the pressure of high workloads, a direct result of the change programme and new operating model, is having a negative impact on staff welfare.”
‘Something has to change’
Lancastle continued: “Survey data shared with Prospect shows that almost a quarter of the UKRI workforce say their workload is unmanageable, and that a third of people had time off in the last year due to work-related stress, so something clearly has to change.
“Acknowledgement of the problem is a start but it’s not enough, especially when it’s compounded by poor pay and other issues. We need concrete action to mitigate the effects of increasing workload, and for people’s wellbeing to be properly valued.”
Petra Boynton, a social psychologist and research consultant, said: “UKRI have been talking for some while about workload, research culture and tackling bullying. Yet there still seem to be inherent problems that have not been addressed.”
She added: “We are seeing widespread cuts to universities, redundancies, and remaining staff having to take on additional work they may not be trained, supported, allocated time or paid for…If these issues of workload, change and overburdening of staff are declared, but [are a] seemingly unanticipated and as yet unsolved problem for UKRI, what hope is there for the rest of UK academia?”
As Research Professional News previously reported, staff webinar sessions held between January and March saw UKRI employees raise the issue of workload with senior management. During one session, one staff member asked: “We are overworked now—how will losing more people help us, whether it be natural wastage or redundancy? How much more do you want us to work with real-term pay cuts?”
Another asked: “Are you aware staff on the ground are expected to deliver the same work with fewer staff? Burnout is widespread…People are leaving and not being replaced, and those left to pick up these workloads are about to collapse.”
Another said there is “a mass exodus of experienced staff from UKRI that shows no sign of abating”, and questioned how UKRI was planning to retain experienced staff.
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the PCS trade union, which also represents UKRI staff, said: “PCS and other trade unions continue to raise the issue of unacceptable workloads within UKRI on behalf of members. These highly stressful workloads, which have been recognised at the very top of the organisation, are a staffing issue.
“While we recognise that collaborative working and wellbeing activities are positive steps, PCS members should not be made to suffer the negative consequences of understaffing in the first place.”
In response, UKRI has said that it published an anti-bullying plan last month and that it understood “many colleagues have increased workloads, and senior leaders are regularly considering the best way to address and respond to these challenges”.