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Academic Workload Planning: Understanding Unintended Consequences

This case study by Dr. Sue Hornibrook from Kent Business School explores the complexities of workload allocation models in academia. It highlights how equitable and transparent workload systems can align staff behavior with departmental goals. The research emphasizes the impact of these models on academic attitudes, behavior, and achievement through the lens of organizational justice—including distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness. It identifies both benefits, such as improved management and transparency, and disadvantages, like administrative burdens and perceptions of unfairness, which can lead to negative organizational outcomes.

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Academic Workload Planning: Understanding Unintended Consequences

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  1. Academic Workload Planning: Understanding Unintended Consequences Dr Sue Hornibrook Kent Business School 20th November 2012

  2. Workload Allocation Models • an effective system “allocates workload equitably to the participants in a transparent manner such that staff behaviour is aligned with departmental strategic goals” (Burgess et al, 2003:230) • A continuum of approaches ranging from informal approach to a comprehensive/complex approach (Barrett & Barrett 2007, 2010; Vardi 2009) • Human Resource Management orientation - a ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ approach

  3. Workload Allocation Models • What is the impact upon individual academic attitudes, behaviour and achievement of institutional goals? • An Organisational Justice (Fairness) Perspective • Distributive Justice • Procedural Justice • Interactional Justice (Interpersonal and informational) • Perceptions of justice (injustice) impact on Organisational outcomes – positive (negative)

  4. A Case Study • Background: A Business School • The Model – comprehensive/complex points based approach • Consultation (35 responses) • Benefits of the Model: academic staff identified need for effective management and transparency in planning individual workloads (Vardi 2009; Barrett and Barrett 2007; Houston et al 2006)

  5. A Case Study • Disadvantages of the Model: • Measurability – inputs or outputs? • Negative impact on collegiality • Manipulation? • Accuracy and transparency • Stick or carrot? • Workload Allocation Models not only add to the administrative burden but can also impact on perceptions of unfairness. • Resistance, negative retaliatory behaviours and withdrawal of discretionary behaviours

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