An integrated framework for the effective management of multigenerational academic staff members in the South African higher education sector

Abstract

Higher education is grappling with a changing internal dynamic characterised by a multigenerational workforce which is becoming more heterogeneous in values, attitudes, behaviours and expectations. Current studies on generations in the higher education sector are fragmented, resulting in the lack of a comprehensive framework to assist managers to manage multiple generations effectively. The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated framework for the effective management of multigenerational academic staff members in the South African higher education sector. Participants (n = 16) were drawn from nine public universities and universities of technology. Data were collected using interviews and were analysed thematically. The study found several challenges and benefits for the effective management of multigenerational academic staff members in the South African higher education sector, several effective and ineffective strategies for managing them, as well as the key elements of an integrated framework for their effective management. Challenges include differences in career progression expectations, skills and experience, managing the conflict that arises from different generations working together and difficulties with planning and strategy implementation, succession planning and teamwork. Benefits include team diversity, the fact that younger academics have better relations with students, are more vibrant and have more technical skills than older academics, as well as mentoring by, and knowledge and skills transfer from, older academics. The effective strategies for the effective management of a multigenerational workforce include adherence to policies and planning, communication, consultative management in decision making and problem solving, workload management and work–life balance, interpersonal skills, principles and values, performance management, adaptability and human capital development. The use of an authoritarian leadership style is an ineffective strategy. The key elements that comprise an integrated framework for the effective management of multigenerational academic staff members in the South African higher education sector include generational perceptions, challenges related to having multigenerational academic staff members in a department, the benefits of having multigenerational academic staff members, effective strategies for managing multigenerational academic staff members in a department, and ineffective strategies for managing multigenerational academic staff members in a department. This study made several contributions to the human resource management body of knowledge on the effective management of multigenerational academic staff members in the faculties of institutions that participated. On the theoretical level, firstly, the findings

Imfundo ephakeme ibhekene nokushintshashintsha kwangaphakathi okubonakala ngabasebenzi abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi abashintshashintshayo ngokwezindinganiso, izimo zengqondo, ukuziphatha kanye nalokho okulindelekile. Izifundo zamanje ezimayelana nezizukulwane emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu zihlukene phakathi, okuholela ekuntuleni kohlaka oluphelele lokusiza abaphathi ukuphatha izizukulwane eziningi ngempumelelo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukwenza uhlaka oludidiyelwe lokuphatha ngempumelelo abasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu eNingizimu Afrika. Abahlanganyeli (n = 16) bathathwe ezimfundweni eziphakeme zomphakathi eziyisishiyagalolunye nezimfundo eziphakeme zezobuchwepheshe. Imininingwane yaqoqwa kusetshenziswa izingxoxo futhi yahlaziywa ngokwendikimba. Ucwaningo luthole izinselele nezinzuzo ezimbalwa zokuphatha ngempumelelo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu eNingizimu Afrika, amasu amaningana aphumelelayo nangasebenzi kahle okuzilawula, kanye nezingxenye ezibalulekile zohlaka oludidiyelwe lokuphatha ngendlela ephumelelayo. Izinselele zihlanganisa umehluko ekulindelweni kwenqubekela phambili komsebenzi, amakhono nolwazi, ukulawula ukungqubuzana okuvela ezizukulwaneni ezahlukene ezisebenza ndawonye kanye nobunzima bokuhlela nokusebenzisa isu, ukuhlela ukulandelana kanye nokusebenzisana. Izinzuzo zihlanganisa ukuhlukahluka kwamaqembu, iqiniso lokuthi izifundiswa ezisencane zinobudlelwane obungcono nabafundi, zinomdlandla futhi zinamakhono ezobuchwepheshe amaningi kunezifundiswa ezindala, kanye nokwelulekwa, kanye nokudluliselwa kolwazi namakhono okuvela ezifundweni ezindala. Amasu asebenzayo okuphatha ngempumelelo abasebenzi bezizukulwane eziningi ahlanganisa ukuhambisana nezinqubomgomo nokuhlela, ukuxhumana, ukuphatha ngokubonisana ekuthathweni kwezinqumo nasekuxazululeni izinkinga, ukuphathwa kobuningi bomsebenzi kanye nebhalansi yempilo nomsebenzi, amakhono okusebenzisana phakathi kwabantu, izimiso kanye nezindinganiso, ukuphathwa komsebenzi, ukuzivumelanisa nezimo kanye nobuntu. bokuthuthukiswa kwezimali. Ukusetshenziswa kwesitayela sobuholi obunegunya kuyisu elingasebenzi. Izingxenye ezisemqoka ezihlanganisa uhlaka oludidiyelwe lokuphatha ngempumelelo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu eNingizimu Afrika zifaka imibono yezizukulwane, izinselele ezihlobene nokuba nabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emnyangweni, izinzuzo zokuba nabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi, amasu asebenzayo okuphatha abasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emnyangweni, kanye namasu angasebenzi kahle okuphathwa kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emnyangweni. Lolu cwaningo lwenze amagalelo aminingana emgudwini wolwazi wokuphathwa kwabasebenzi ekuphathweni ngempumelelo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi kumakhono ezikhungo ezibambe iqhaza kulolu cwaningo. Ezingeni lombono, okokuqala, okutholiwe kwengeze isifanekiso esijwayelekile sika Hamlin (2004) sokuphatha nobuholi ngempumelelo ngokwengeza ukuzivumelanisa nezimo njengokuziphatha kobuholi okuhle/okuphumelelayo ekuphatheni ngempumelelo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu. Okwesibili, ucwaningo luqinisekise isiphakamiso ohlakeni lokuqonda ubunikazi bezizukulwane ezinhlanganweni (Joshi et al., 2010) ukuthi ezinhlanganweni zemishini ezinomongo obuthakathaka obujwayelekile, njengomkhakha wemfundo ephezulu, kukhona ukusebenzisana okuphikisayo kwaphakathi kwezizukulwane okubonakaliswa ngukungqubuzana. Okwesithathu, luthuthukise uhlaka lombono lokuphatha ngempumelelo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu eNingizimu Afrika. Ngokwezinga elikhombisayo, kwasungulwa uhlaka oludidiyelwe lokuphatha ngempumelelo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo abavela ezizukulwaneni eziningi emkhakheni wezemfundo ephezulu eNingizimu Afrika.

Thuto ya godimo e šogana le phetogo ya lenaneo la ka gare leo le laetšwago ka bašomi ba melokontši seo se fetogago ka go fapana ka mekgwa, dikgopolo, maitshwaro le ditetelo. Dinyakišišo tša kgauswanyane go meloko mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo di kgaogane, gomme di tšweletša dipoelo tša tlhako ya go phatlalala go thuša balaodi go laola meloko ye mentši gabotse. Nepo ya dinyakišišo tše e be e le go kaonafatša tlhako ye e kopantšwego go laola gabotse maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka Afrika Borwa. Bakgathatema (n=16) ba hweditšwe go diyunibesithi tše senyane tša setšhaba le diyunibesithi tša theknolotši. Data e kgobokeditšwe go lebeletšwe dipoledišano gomme di sekasekilwe di amanywa le merero. Dinyakišišo di utollotše gore ditlhohlo tše mmalwa le dikholego tša taolo ye botse ya maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka Afrika Borwa, mekgwa ye mmalwa ya go šoma gabotse le ya go se šome gabotse ya go ba laola, gammogo le dielemente tša motheo tša tlhako ye e kopantšwego go taolo ya bona ye botse. Ditlhohlo di akaretša diphapano mo go ditetelo tša tatelano ya mošomo, mabokgoni le maitemogelo, go laola thulano ye e ka tšwelelago go tšwa go meloko ya go fapana yeo e šomago mmogo le mathata ka go beakanya le go phethagatša mekgwa, peakanyo ya tatelano le go šoma ka sehlopha. Dikholego di akaretša phapano ya sehlopha, lebaka la gore dirutegi tše difsa di na le dikamano tše dikaone le baithuti, gape ba na le mafolofolo gape ba na le mabokgoni a sethekniki a mantši go feta dirutegi tše dikgolo, gammogo le go tlhahlwa ke, le tsebo le phetišetšo ya mabokgoni, go tšwa go dirutegi tše digolo. Mekgwa ye mebotse ya taolo ye botse ya bašomi ba melokontši e akaretša go latela dipholisi le peakanyo, kgokagano, taolo ya poledišano mo go tšeeng diphetho le go rarolla mathata, taolo ya mošomo le tekanyetšo ya Bophelo bja mošomo, mabokgoni a leago, mekgwa le maitshwaro, taolo ya phethagatšo, go fetogafetoga le kaonafatšo ya bokgoni bja batho. Tšhomišo ya mokgwa wa boetapele bja kgatelelo ke mokgwa wa go se šome gabotse. Dielemente tša motheo tšeo di akaretšago tlhako ye e kopantšwego ya taolo ye botse ya maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka Afrika Borwa, e akaretša dikgopolo tša meloko, ditlhohlo tše di lebanego le maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka kgorong, mekgwa ya go se šome gabotse ya go laola maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši ka kgorong. Dinyakišišo di file maele a mmalwa go lekgotla la taolo ya mothopo wa batho ya tsebo go taolo ye botse ya maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši ka mafapheng a diinstitušene tšeo di kgathilego tema mo dinyakišišo tše. Mo legatong la teori, sa mathomo, dikutollo di katološeditšwe go mmotlolo wa kakaretšo wa Hamlin’s (2004) wa go šoma gabotse ga boetapele ka go tsenya go fetogafetoga bjalo ka maitshwaro a boetapele a mabotse/a go šoma gabotse mo taolong ye botse ya maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka Afrika Borwa. Sa bobedi, dinyakišišo di kgonthiša kakanyo ya tlhako ya go kwešiša boitsebo bja meloko ka mekgatlong (Joshi et al., 2010) yeo e lego mekgatlo ya go se kwagale ya go ba le tikologo ya tekolo, go swana le lekala la thuto ya godimo, moo go na le tsenelano ya meloko ya go tsenelana ye e šireleditšwego ya go ba le dithulano. Sa boraro, e kaonafaditše tlhako ya teori ya taolo ye botse ya maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka Afrika Borwa. Mo legatong la maitemogelo, tlhako ye e kopantšwego ya taolo ye botse ya maloko a bašomi ba thuto ba melokontši mo lekaleng la thuto ya godimo ka Afrika Borwa e kaonafaditšwe.