Four in five want to get out

EIGHTY per cent of staff in new universities and further education colleges would seriously consider early retirement if offered, according to a new survey.

The survey, to be published next week by the National Association for Teachers in Further and Higher Education, also shows that 35 per cent of the 465 respondents surveyed this summer were actively seeking work outside the profession. Sixty per cent said that they were considering leaving the profession.

The survey, which was carried out by independent researcher Gail Kinman, then at the University of Luton, brought a 46 per cent response rate, 69 per cent of whom were in further education colleges and the remainder in higher education.

The major causes of dissatisfaction were listed as little opportunity for promotion or advancement (91 per cent), little support for scholarly activity (89 per cent), onerous administrative duties (89 per cent), little time for leisure or relaxation (83 per cent), pay (72 per cent) and unmanageable workloads (72 per cent).

More than a fifth of respondents said they regularly work more than 50 hours a week while nearly three quarters said that they took work home at weekends. The average working week was 47 hours.

Health was affected with 65 per cent reporting that they felt under considerable strain, 38 per cent suffering high levels of depression, and 25 per cent reporting that they had been medically diagnosed as suffering stress-related illness. Nearly one in ten said that they had an alcohol dependency.