A Landmark Survey Exposes Systemic Issues in Campus Workplaces
The release of the 2025 Australian University Census on Staff Wellbeing has brought renewed focus to the mental health challenges facing academics, professional staff, and researchers across the nation’s higher education sector. Conducted between October 2025 and January 2026, the survey gathered nearly 11,500 responses from staff at 42 universities, revealing that every ranked institution falls into high or very high categories of psychosocial risk.
Using the internationally recognised Psychosocial Safety Climate framework, which assesses organisational policies, practices and procedures designed to protect workers’ psychological health, the census paints a consistent picture of strain. Just 18 percent of university staff report working in low-risk environments, compared with 54 percent nationally. Meanwhile, 76 percent of respondents are in high or very high risk settings — more than double the rate seen in the broader Australian workforce.
Understanding Psychosocial Safety Climate and Its Measurement
Psychosocial Safety Climate, often abbreviated as PSC, evaluates how well workplaces prioritise psychological wellbeing through leadership commitment, communication, participation and organisational justice. Scores below 26 indicate very high risk, while those between 26 and 40.9 signal high risk. The low-risk benchmark sits at 41 or above. In this census, the highest-scoring university achieved only 34.9, leaving even the best performers below the safe threshold.
Researchers from Adelaide University led the ARC-funded project under the Stress Cafe initiative. The survey complements earlier government reviews such as the Australian Universities Accord and Senate inquiries, which highlighted funding pressures and governance but paid limited direct attention to day-to-day staff wellbeing.
Key Statistics Highlighting the Scale of the Challenge
Beyond overall PSC scores, the census uncovered alarming levels of emotional exhaustion. Eighty-two percent of participants reported high or very high emotional exhaustion, a figure twice the national average. Engagement levels among university staff also lag significantly behind the general workforce.
These outcomes reflect a sector under sustained pressure. Workload intensity, job insecurity, and limited resources for psychological support contribute to the findings. The data shows a clear disconnect: senior leaders often perceive lower risk environments, while frontline staff across all institutions report conditions that pose serious risks to mental and physical health.
University Rankings Reveal No Safe Campuses
Thirty-six universities met the threshold of at least 100 responses for public ranking. All 36 recorded average PSC scores in the high or very high risk range. Thirty institutions fell into the high-risk category and six into very high risk.
The top three performers were Charles Darwin University, the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland. Even these leading institutions remain below the low-risk benchmark. Specific examples include the University of Sydney, where 70 percent of staff work in high or very high risk conditions according to the census data.
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Perspectives from Unions, Universities and Frontline Staff
The National Tertiary Education Union has described the results as a system failure and called for immediate national briefings to discuss reforms. Union representatives emphasise that the findings demand concrete action on workload, governance and support structures rather than awareness campaigns alone.
University leaders acknowledge the data but point to broader funding constraints and regulatory demands as contributing factors. Individual staff accounts shared through union channels and campus forums describe chronic overwork, fear of speaking out, and difficulties accessing timely mental health support.
Broader Impacts on Teaching, Research and Student Experience
High psychosocial risk environments affect more than individual wellbeing. Reduced engagement and higher exhaustion correlate with challenges in teaching quality, research productivity and staff retention. With universities educating more than a million students and employing hundreds of thousands of people, the ripple effects extend across the entire sector.
Early-career researchers and casual staff appear particularly vulnerable, amplifying concerns about the long-term sustainability of Australia’s higher education workforce.
Root Causes and Contributing Factors
Multiple pressures converge to create these conditions. Decades of funding shifts, performance metrics tied to research output and student numbers, and rapid changes in delivery modes have intensified workloads. Governance structures that prioritise financial outcomes over staff voice have also played a role, according to the census analysis.
The project background notes that despite repeated reviews, direct attention to workplace psychosocial risk management has remained limited until this sector-wide initiative.
Pathways Toward Improvement and Sector Responses
The census is framed as a “name and support” public health initiative, providing an evidence base for reform. Recommended actions include strengthening leadership accountability for psychological safety, improving consultation mechanisms, and investing in targeted workload management programs.
Some institutions are already reviewing internal policies in light of their rankings. Sector bodies are discussing how to integrate PSC benchmarks into existing quality and governance frameworks.
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Future Outlook for Australian Higher Education Workplaces
Without sustained intervention, the current trajectory risks further attrition of experienced staff and diminished institutional capacity. The census positions psychosocial safety as a critical sustainability issue alongside financial and regulatory challenges.
Continued monitoring through follow-up waves of the survey could track progress and hold institutions accountable. Collaboration between universities, unions, regulators and government will be essential to shift the sector toward healthier workplaces.
Actionable Insights for Administrators, Academics and Job Seekers
University administrators can use the PSC framework to audit existing policies and prioritise areas such as workload allocation and mental health resources. Academics and professional staff are encouraged to engage with union briefings and internal consultation processes.
For those considering careers in higher education, the report underscores the importance of researching institutional cultures and support systems before accepting positions. Resources on career navigation in the sector can help prospective applicants make informed decisions.
