Survey reveals concerns about staff satisfaction in colleges
Survey reveals concerns about staff satisfaction in colleges
A survey of staff satisfaction within colleges, carried out by the Learning and Skills Development Agency, reveals low levels of morale among teachers,managers and support staff. Listening to staff is based on a survey of almost 10,000 staff in 80 colleges. It stresses that what happens within a college– how it communicates with and values its staff – makes a substantial difference to staff satisfaction, and that staff perceptions of a college's management style determine whether or not they feel valued. The questionnaire asked staff to agree or disagree with 38 positive statements about their job roles and college organization, and identify one action that would improve the culture of the college. Two-thirds disagreed that their college cared for the welfare of its staff. Some 72 per cent disagreed that staff are encouraged to take risks or try new things without fear of failure. More than half disagreed that they felt valued in their college. And 70 per cent disagreed that communication was effective.
The main issues that linked most strongly with overall job satisfaction were whether or not the college cared about its staff, whether they were valued and felt secure, and how effectively staff were consulted and involved in the decision-making process. Jane Owen, Learning and Skills Development Agency development adviser, and co-author of the report, said:
The profile of staff opinion that emerges gives considerable cause for concern. In our experience, having carried out comparable surveys, it is uncommon for average ratings to be as negative with a single organization and very rare for them to be so negative across a whole occupational sector. There is a clear message that the quality of communication and the degree to which staff are valued influences their overall attitudes to their job and employer– and that many colleges need to improve in this area. But there is a silver lining to this cloud of dissatisfaction. Most staff want to be involved in improving the college and quality of education, so the goodwill is there.
The survey reveals that colleges where staff morale is high have:
good communication;
adequate resources;
effective decision making by management;
job security;
a culture of team working;
a reputation for quality; and
optimism about the future of the organization.
Staff satisfaction in beacon and accredited colleges, representing 10 per cent of the survey, was significantly higher than in other colleges. In these colleges there was also much less of a gap between the opinions of management and non-management staff. Morale was also slightly higher in sixth-form colleges than most general further-education colleges. Predictably, management staff were more positive about the organization and their own role. But managers were as critical of teaching and support staff about the effectiveness of communication within their college.
The evidence does not suggest that good communication and a caring attitude mean "soft" management. The crucial factor influencing staff morale is a culture of continuous improvement, rather than one of blame, focusing on "bottom-up"initiatives in a clearly understood framework.
