Contextual factors influencing higher education institution academics' well- being and adjustment during organisational systems and process changes

Abstract

This study explores the contextual factors influencing the well-being and adjustment of academics at higher education institutions (HEIs) during organisational system and process changes. The research was conducted at a residential university, and purposive sampling was used to select permanently employed academics from the level of junior lecturer to that of professor. The data collection complied with COVID-19 regulations, which only permitted online semi-structured interviews to be conducted and recorded on MS Teams. Academics shared their lived experiences on the research phenomenon, and research themes and sub-themes were created to draw conclusions from the research findings. The conclusions that were drawn from the study revealed that organisational system and process changes negatively impacted academics’ well-being and adjustment. The academics described, among other things, how they experienced a lack of psychological support during organisational system and process changes. Therefore, the study presents recommendations to HEIs, human resource professionals, industrial and organisational psychologists, change management specialists and line managers on how to better inform HEIs policies and practices to best support academics and ensure their healthy well-being and adjustment during organisational system and process.

Esi sifundo siphonononga iimeko ezinefuthe kwintlalontle nokuzihlengahlengisa kweengcali zemfundo kumazikho emfundo ephakamileyo (HEIs) ngexesha lokubakho kweenguqu kwinkqubo elandelwa kula maziko. Uphando luqhutywe kwiyunivesithi eneendawo zokuhlala zabafundi. Kwathathwa isampulu ekhethwe ngononophelo ekukhetheni iingcali eziqeshwe isigxina kumazinga aqala kubahlohli abasaqalayo ukuya kutsho kwiinjingalwazi. Idatha yaqokelelwa phantsi kwemiqathango nemithetho yeCOVID-19, eyayivumela kuphela iindliwano ndlebe ezenziwa kumaza eintanethi zaza zashicilelwa kwinkqubo yeMS Teams. Iingcali zabelana ngamava azo kwimiba yophando, kwaza kwaqulunqwa imixholo nemixholwana apho kwathathwa izigqibo emva kokufumanisa izinto ngezinto kuphando. Izigqibo ekwafikelelwa kuzo kwesi sifundo zadiza ukuba iinguqu zeenkqubo ziyichaphazela kakubi intlalontle yeengcali nendlela abazihlengahlengisa ngayo. Phakathi kwezinto ezathethwa ziingcali, kwabakho ukuchaza indlela ezingafumani ngayo inkxaso yengqondo nomphefumlo xa kungena iingququ zeenkqubo. Ngoko ke esi sifundo sinika iingcebiso kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo, kwiingcali ezisebenza ngeemeko ezingqonge abaqweshwa kunye nemiba yengqesho jikelele, iingcali zesimo sengqondo nomphefumlo kumaqumrhu neendawo ekusetyenzwa kuzo, iingcali zolawulo lwenguqu kunye nabaphathi bamacandelo asemsebenzini. Ezi ngcebiso zimalunga neendlela ekunokuphuculwa ngazo imigaqo nkqubo nemisebenzi yala maziko ukwenzela ukuba iingcali zifumane inkxaso ekhokelela kwintlalo entle nasekuzihlengahlengiseni bezilungiselela ngamaxesha enguqu yemigaqo nkqubo kumaziko amfundo ephakamileyo.

Hierdie studie ondersoek die kontekstuele faktore wat die welstand en aanpassing van akademici by hoëronderwysinstellings beïnvloed tydens veranderinge aan organisasiestelsels en -prosesse. Die navorsing is by ’n residensiële universiteit gedoen, en doelbewuste steekproefneming is ingespan om akademici in vaste diens – van juniordosent- tot professorvlak – te kies. Die data-insameling het aan COVID-19-regulasies voldoen, dus was slegs aanlyn halfgestruktureerde onderhoude wat via MS Teams gevoer en opgeneem is, toelaatbaar. Akademici het hul geleefde ervarings van die navorsingsfenomeen gedeel, en navorsingstemas en substemas is saamgestel om gevolgtrekkings op grond van die navorsingsbevindinge te maak. Die gevolgtrekkings wat na aanleiding van die studie gemaak is, het getoon dat veranderinge aan organisasiestelsels en -prosesse ’n negatiewe impak op akademici se welstand en aanpassing gehad het. Die akademici het onder andere beskryf hoedat hulle ’n gebrek aan sielkundige ondersteuning ervaar het tydens organisasiestelsel- en prosesveranderinge. Daarom maak hierdie studie aanbevelings vir hoëronderwysinstellings, mensehulpbronpraktisyns, bedryf- en organisasiesielkundiges, veranderingbestuurspesialiste en lynbestuurders oor hoe die beleide van hoëronderwysinstellings beter toegepas kan word om akademici so goed moontlik te ondersteun en hul welstand en gesonde aanpassing by organisasiestelsels en -prosesse te verseker.