This week’s Burman Bulletin looks at HEPI’s report on HE professional and support staff, and what rising workloads and restructures mean for your next career move.
With the Autumn Budget approaching, the higher education sector is watching closely. Universities UK, the Russell Group, and individual institutions have all submitted their cases to the Treasury, and the decisions made in the coming weeks will shape the financial landscape of UK higher education for years to come.
Who the report is about
If you work in HE professional services, a recent HEPI report has probably already been forwarded to you. It’s called The Invisible Majority, and it’s about you.
The headline number: professional and support staff made up 56% of the UK HE workforce in 2023, around 255,000 FTE. They also account for 48% of the sector’s pay bill. Despite that, the report argues they’re often overlooked when restructures are planned.
Who the report is about
The survey data is the interesting bit. Three-quarters of respondents describe sustained high work intensity, and two-thirds say recent change has affected them negatively, rising to 79% of those earning below £40,000. It isn’t all gloom, though: Wonkhe’s write-up notes that 60% rated their day-to-day work as good or very good. So people like the job. It’s the change around it that’s wearing them down.
The cost argument
The report’s cost argument is worth passing on to your own leadership. Cut training budgets and you can end up buying the missing expertise back externally at a higher price. Restructures can also need expensive consultancy to implement, and new tech won’t deliver savings without investment in staff training and process redesign. Times Higher Education picked up the same theme, warning that outsourcing following redundancies may be adding cost rather than removing it.
What it means for your next move
Roles have often grown without being redesigned, so job scope and grading matter more than ever when you’re comparing offers. The report calls for reform of job evaluation and better workforce data. Wonkhe points out that HESA staff data returns for non-academic staff are still optional in England and Northern Ireland. Ask how a prospective employer handles regrading and development before you sign anything.
One for the diary
HEPI is hosting a webinar on the report on Thursday 12 November.
