Effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment in UK academics: implications for mental health, satisfaction and retention

This study utilises the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model of job stress to predict several indices of well-being in academics in the UK: mental ill health, job satisfaction and leaving intentions. This model posits that (a) employees who believe that their efforts are not counterbalanced by suffic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of higher education policy and management 2016-10, Vol.38 (5), p.504-518
Main Author: Kinman, Gail
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic staff attitudes
Academic staff university relationship
Academic staff workload
Anxiety
Correlation
Effort
Effort-reward imbalance
Employees
Financial support
Foreign Countries
Higher Education
Indexes
Job Satisfaction
Job stress
Measures (Individuals)
Mental Disorders
Mental Health
Occupational stress
Questionnaires
Regression (Statistics)
Retention (Psychology)
Rewards
stress
Stress variables
United Kingdom
University administration
University faculty
University holding power
Well Being
Work attitudes
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Summary:This study utilises the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model of job stress to predict several indices of well-being in academics in the UK: mental ill health, job satisfaction and leaving intentions. This model posits that (a) employees who believe that their efforts are not counterbalanced by sufficient rewards will experience impaired well-being and (b) feelings of ERI are more frequent and damaging in employees who are overcommitted to the job. A sample of 649 academic employees working in UK higher education institutions completed validated measures. Findings showed that academics who found their work more demanding, who perceived greater rewards and who were less overcommitted typically reported poorer well-being across all measures. Rewards related to esteem/support and financial/status appeared to be particularly important in protecting academics from the negative impact of work-related efforts. Potential interventions are discussed that draw on the ERI framework to improve mental health, satisfaction and retention in the sector.
ISSN:1360-080X
1469-9508
DOI:10.1080/1360080X.2016.1181884