Enhancing the well-being of support services staff in higher education: The power of appreciation

Abstract

Orientation: A literature search for studies on the well-being of support staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) produced very little results. Appreciation was then used to identify elements that might enhance the well-being of a selected HEI’s support staff.Research purpose: The aim was to explore the strengths of a selected HEI that might serve as driving forces for enhancing its support staff’s well-being.Motivation for the study: The lack of research on the well-being of support staff motivated the study. A need was identified to explore driving forces that might enhance their well-being.Research design, approach and method: A literature review guided by theoretical perspectives and theories on staff well-being was conducted. Subsequently, a qualitative action research design involving an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) workshop with support staff of an institution was followed.Main findings: The following strengths that might serve as driving forces for enhancing the well-being of the institution’s support services staff were identified: hard-working and dedicated support staff, positive relations among colleagues, a willingness to adapt to change,good remuneration and benefits, job security and a supportive work environment. Appreciative Inquiry was found to be well suited for identifying such strengths, as opposed to methods that focus on identifying problems or weaknesses of an organisation. As a result of this study, the relevant institution might react and build on these identified strengths towards promoting the well-being of its support staff.Practical/managerial implications: Institutions should make an effort to enhance staff well being. The results of the study could also be used to encourage HEIs to use AI to establish optimal staff well-being.Contribution/value add: The study confirmed the power of appreciation to identify the strengths that might serve as driving forces for enhancing the well-being of support staff of an HEI.

UK higher education staff's mental health and wellbeing during Covid-19

“…Besides, the literature has focused on academic staff, giving very little attention to the pandemic's impact on professional staff in HE (i.e., all non-academic employees such as those being employed in human resources, finance, cleaning services, administration, librarians, information technology officers, etc.). This study addresses this knowledge gap by examining the pandemic's impact on both academic and professional staff's wellbeing and mental health in UK HE, as the latter's contribution is of equal significance to the successful implementation of the institutional mission, as well as their work highly informs a positive student experience (Van Straaten et al, 2016). .…”

Making Sense of the Delivery of Non-Academic Student Support Services at Kyambogo University

“…Since higher education institutions have high expectations of their employees to perform optimally and to be committed to the organisation's objectives, they should turn their focus on motivating, supporting, and valuing them in the performance of their work in order to make sense of it. (Van Straaten et al, 2016). When staff are valued and appreciated, a sense of belonging to the organisation is created, which motivates them to make sense of their work, which benefits the institution (Van Straaten et al, 2016).…”

“…(Van Straaten et al, 2016). When staff are valued and appreciated, a sense of belonging to the organisation is created, which motivates them to make sense of their work, which benefits the institution (Van Straaten et al, 2016). If this is not done, the staff will not make sense of their work, and this may lead to demotivation and frustration, which will affect the institution's goals.…”