Insight into lecturers' workload

Heavy workload has been a bottleneck in university education (UAS) for a number of years. Universities of AS are paying close attention to the heavy workload' theme in different ways: from concrete interventions on an individual level, to introducing a general health policy. Nevertheless, UAS lecturers continue to regard their workload as heavy. The  ‘Werkbeleving in hogescholen’ report shows that 44% of the lecturers consider their workload to be heavy and 9% of the lecturers consider it too heavy.

Zestor, the labour market and education fund for Universities of AS, is currently running a number of projects in an attempt to support the UAS' with regard to the workload'theme. In order to better map lecturer’ workload, Zestor is carrying out this research as commissioned by the collective labour agreement parties. On the one hand, this research is focusing on time use of UAS lecturers. On the other hand, Zestor, together with the developers from Hanze UA, is reintroducing a measuring instrument in a number of faculty teams of the four participating Universities.

Goal of the research

This concerns a linked study with two research goals:

Research 1: To get an insight into lecturers’ time use

• How much time do UAS’ lecturers use when performing different tasks?
• How much time, on average, do they spend on these tasks on an annual basis?

Researches carried out in the broader education system (primary and secondary education) that focused on identifying teachers’ core tasks, available time and tasks allocation, have led to successful possible solutions. So far no concrete steps have been taken in higher education (UAS) in this regard.

Research 2: Using the workload instrument and monitoring its effectiveness

During this research we are using the diagnostic workload instrument developed in 2016. This instrument can be used to identify organisational problems, organisational options and bottlenecks within a faculty team. We are going to reintroduce this instrument in a number of faculty teams from the four participating Universities.

What does the UAS stand to gain?

• Objective insight and benchmarking
  

  The participating UAS will get objective insights into how lecturers use their time while performing different tasks allocated to them by the University. These insights can be compared with the total data of the other participating Universities of AS.

• Insight into bottlenecks
  

  The UAS will get insights into the bottlenecks that a team of lecturers in an faculty experience with regard to the workload.

• Use of interventions
  

  A number of teams of lecturers is offered a tried and tested intervention in order to help them reduce the bottlenecks they have experienced.

• Insight into the impact of the interventions
  

  The UAS will get insight into the impact (reducing workload, increasing work enjoyment) as well as the positive changes of the bottleneck interventions.

What does the lecturer stand to gain?

• An objective insight into their own time use
  

  The lecturers will get more insight into their working hours and have an opportunity to compare their tasks with fellow lecturers from the same UAS as well as lecturers from the other participating Universities of AS.

• A better understanding of the their own options to manage workload
  

  By having a team discussion about possible bottlenecks and how these increase workload.

• Play an active part in reducing the workload in your own team
  

  You can have an active part in structurally tackling heavy workload on themes that are relevant to your faculty team

• A plan on how to tackle the heavy workload at the organisation level

How is this research organised?

Research 1: Time use

The lecturers  from four Universities of AS are asked to monitor and register their time use for two education periods. They will do so by registering how they use their time while performing their daily tasks. The registration will continue for two full weeks, from Monday through Sunday. The lecturers are expected to fill out a survey immediately after the two-week registration period.

Research 2: Effectiveness workload’ instrument

We are going to use the diagnostic measuring instrument for a number of faculty teams. This will lead to the discovery of a number of bottlenecks. We will select a couple of bottlenecks per team that are very important and that the team can try and tackle. Interventions will then be offered for every bottleneck. These interventions will be monitored. A description will be provided regarding the work method, the process and the effect of the intervention.

Which Universities of AS are participating?

These are the four Universities of AS participating in this research:

• Buas
• Hanze UAS
• NHL Stenden
• Saxion UAS

Who is carrying out this research?

The research is carried out by the Professorship ‘Organisational Design and Change’ of Hanze UAS and is commissioned by Zestor. This Professorship has developed the workload ‘instrument. The Professor is Cees Reezicht and the senior researcher is Delano Maccow. Ilja Hagenauw en Rechiena Nijenkamp, both lecturer- researcher with Hanze UAS, are also part of the research team.

Would you like to know more?

If you would like to receive more information on this project, please contact: