Can a university be a ‘healthy university?’

Jo Newton 3rd Year PhD Student LSBU

Supervisors:

Professor Jane Wills LSBU

Professor Nicola Crichton LSBU

Professor Mark Dooris UCLAN

June 2013

The university as a setting

• Traditionally share similar aims and values• Values include engagement, diversity,

participation, collaboration• Aim is continuous improvement• Natural community to strive to create &

improve H&WB

The university as a setting

• 169 universities in the UK• Employ 370,000 people• Over 2.5 million students (Universities UK 2012)

• Student experience is key• Positive H&WB understood to underpin

success

But are universities different?

Healthy cities• Arose out of values of health promotion• Implement Ottawa Charter (WHO 1986)

• Put health high on social and political agendas

Healthy schools• Achieve education goals through addressing health

issues• Reflect core business of school, share values

Universities (in England)

• Large, complex organisations• Competitive businesses• Financial constraints, competing priorities• New managerialism: emphasis on market

forces, income generation, increased accountability, performance management, indicators, targets (Deem 2004)

? values base at odds with settings

Healthy Universities

• Lack of evidence of effectiveness (Dooris 2007)

• Lack of leadership and national legitimisation/infrastructure

• Lack of distinctiveness• Various interpretations/conceptualisations:HP projects within the universityWhole university approach to H&WB

Can a university be a ‘healthy university’?

Two qualitative case studies to investigate:

1. How is H&WB perceived and understood by the people within the university setting?

2. How is the concept manifested and operationalised in a university?

3. How does a university produce or inhibit H&WB?

Findings: H&WB as an ethos

• Extensive concept, more of an ethos than physical health, happiness was a significant component:

• “It’s wide, It’s about happiness, quality of life, lifestyle, having a good social network, having control, being fulfilled” (GB staff R)

Enhancers of H&WB

Organisational culture of caring & valuing, demonstrated by:• Positive management style, cascaded by the

leader, throughout the organisation and enacted by line managers

People felt supported, encouraged, valued

Recurring theme: H&WB can be produced or inhibited by line managers

Enhancers of H&WB

Organisational culture of caring & valuing, demonstrated by:• Effective two way communication

People felt heard, listened to, voice counted, involved.

“It feels like they listen. I feel very positive” (GB Staff R)

“It feels like the university values people’s opinions” (GB Staff N)

Enhancers of H&WB

Organisational culture of caring & valuing, demonstrated by:• Provision of clean, safe, pleasant working,

studying and living and environments• Opportunities for social interaction and

positive social relationships• Ability to network and support each other

Challenges to operationalising HU

H&WB cannot be the main focus or a top priority for the universityFinancial and political pressures,

competing priorities dominatedConstant change - re-organisations and

redundanciesUncertainty, dissatisfaction, stress

Challenges to operationalising HU

Difficult to adopt a whole system approach to H&WB• Fragmented & disconnected nature of

universities (due to size, physical barriers, not a homogenous community)

• Variation of management style • Dependent on leadership of VC

Uncertainty about the concept

“What does it mean?” “How would we know?”“What would it look like?”“What would the outcomes be?”“It’s a big concept”

However…….

• Exemplar case showed concern for people• Investment in staff & students seen as “the

right thing to do”• Aspiration and endeavour to become a

HU

Many people reported feeling valued, satisfied, contented and happy

Contrary case

This contrasted with the contrary case• Machine analogy used• People as mechanical parts“How much would it cost?”“Can you prove its economic value?”

Would require a transformation in perspectives and values

What this study adds….

• Gives clarification about what a HU is and what a HU means to the people within the university community

• Shows how they perceive the university inhibits or promotes their health

• Shows the importance of values and human feelings (caring, supportive, happy, vibrant, social interaction, positive energy)

• And how these can be enhanced by the culture of the organisation

References:• Deem, R. (2004). The knowledge worker, the manager-academic and the

contemporary UK university: new and old forms of public management? Financial Accountability & Management, 20(2), 107 - 128.

• Dooris, M. (2007). Healthy settings: past, present and future Deakin University, Victoria, Australia.

• Newell, S. (1995). The healthy organisation: fairness, ethics and effective management. London: Routledge.

• Shaheen, F. (2011). Degrees of value: how universities benefit society: new economics foundation, Universities UK, University Partnership Programme.

• Universities UK: Trends in higher education. (2012). Retrieved 9.5.13, from http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/highereducation/Pages/HETrends2001-2011.aspx

Any questions?

Thank you

(newtonj2@lsbu.ac.uk)