Exploring early- and mid-career academic work wellbeing challenges through a diversity and inclusion lens.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early- to mid-career academics (EMCAs) represent a core component of the Australian higher education workforce. These academics experience major challenges to their wellbeing, driving a strong desire to leave academia. OBJECTIVES: Determine (1) EMCA awareness of, and engagement with, previous University- and Faculty-level diversity and inclusion events/initiatives and (2) opportunities and solutions to address previously reported diversity and inclusion issues experienced in the workplace. METHODS: 114 EMCAs in medicine, dentistry and health sciences completed an electronic cross-sectional survey. The survey contained a list of University- and Faculty-provided diversity and inclusion initiatives and sought respondent ratings of interest, awareness (knowing/hearing about) and engagement (attending/applying/participating). Two in-person focus groups comprising participants who opted in during the survey or who responded to broader advertising were conducted. Both groups explored opportunities and solutions to address diversity and inclusion issues reported in an earlier organisation-wide survey. RESULTS: Whilst early- and mid-career academics reported high interest in diversity and inclusion events, they also reported limited awareness and engagement with these events, feeling unsupported to engage or perceiving consequences for workload. Focus groups identified five themes related to opportunities and solutions to address diversity and inclusion issues experienced in the workplace (1) enhanced relational support for career progression, (2) clear and transparent processes for efficient working, (3) reducing structural barriers to create opportunity, (4) improved financial renumeration, and (5) improved transitions and pathways. CONCLUSION: Early- and mid-career academics often felt unable to engage with activities outside of their immediate work responsibilities, such as events about diversity and inclusion, due to feelings of high workload. A systems approach to deploying targeted strategies to address these wellbeing challenges is recommended to sustain and retain this critical workforce.