Why Not Remote? Campus Centric HR Policies Impact on Wellness and Retention of Student Affairs Personnel Academic Article uri icon

Abstract

  • Student affairs professionals play an instrumental role on campus in student retention and ensuring completion rates. Yet, dissatisfaction with the job and work has plagued student affairs offices for the last 30 years(Marshall et al., 2016). The current state of higher education yields longer work hours, additional and largely unaccounted-for responsibilities, and a higher prevalence of burnout. Thus, the retention of student affairs professionals remains a central issue for academic institutions. The basis of attrition centers largely on an incongruence between employees’ preferred work environments and current policies and traditions that impede colleges and universities from shifting to a 21st-century model of service delivery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2020) recommended the concept of “health and wellness without walls,” highlighting the importance of acknowledging physical wellness and leveraging related strategies for supporting all employees, including those who are remote. Remote does not equate to removal, and an inclusive student affairs environment remains predominantly the same as in a traditional delivery model. The theoretical and conceptual article presents and explores an eight-pronged approach for human resources professionals in higher education to create a culture that promotes an environment of wellness (e.g., social/emotional, physical, financial, and intellectual) and supports an inclusive workplace; career path and development opportunities; recognition and reward; and a desirable work environment for student affairs professionals.

Publication Date

  • 2024-11-01