CANBERRA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- An Australian report has identified widespread wellbeing and psychosocial safety issues across the country's higher education sector.
The report from Adelaide University points to increasing levels of high and very high psychosocial risk driven by weaknesses in safety systems, said a university statement on Friday.
Key factors driving the risk included poor management support, insufficient prioritization of staff wellbeing, limited communication and consultation, and gaps in how psychosocial risks are identified and managed, according to the Australian Universities Census on Staff Wellbeing, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC).
It found that more than 80 percent of staff reported high or very high levels of emotional exhaustion, while all 36 universities assessed recorded high or very high psychosocial safety risks, more than double those in the general workforce.
The top-ranked Australian universities in psychosocial safety climate benchmarks were Charles Darwin University, the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland, the report said.
Lead researcher ARC Laureate Professor Maureen Dollard from Adelaide University said the findings showed "urgent action" was needed to protect staff psychological health, calling for a shift from a productivity agenda to wellbeing-focused management.
Under Australia's work health and safety laws, universities are required to prevent and manage psychosocial risks. ■