No More Cutting Class: How Unified Communications Help Universities Retain Staff

Retaining staff has never been an easy task

In the higher education sector, there's plenty of truth in that. UK universities have a worldwide reputation as leaders in providing educational services, yet current circumstances are threatening to put that acclaim at risk. Financial instability, outdated technology, and a rise in student expectations have put higher education institutions under pressure to find solutions to each of these challenges and stave off fears over an insecure future.

Then there's the issue over staff retention. The student to staff ration has been growing steadily over the last few years; in the GuildHE university group alone, that ratio increased from 9.32 in 2014 to 17 in 2021. Considering two-thirds of higher education staff plan to leave the sector in the next 5 years, and 41.3% of 18-year-olds in the UK applying for a place at university, that ratio looks to continue to grow. It may not be the defining factor of success within the higher education sector, but it does provide insights into how universities are performing.

Technology is a powerful ally for higher education institutions, with one such solution coming in the form of unified communications. When university staff can rely on a system that integrates communication, improve collaboration, and make them more efficient in their daily working lives, they'll find greater satisfaction in their work.

Reliable Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) providers have the tools universities need to boost staff retention and guarantee that education can still be delivered to the best of the sector's capabilities.

Why is staff retention a problem?

Before diving into how unified communications can help with staff retention, it's important to explore why it's an issue in the first place. The higher education sector employs over 240,000 people in academic roles, and a further 198,000 in non-academic roles. In a survey from September 2023, academic staff were asked in one question to highlight the main reasons why they would seek employment in other sectors. Some of the reasons cited included:

• Receiving an increase in annual salary (that factor also has a significant impact on entry into the sector initially, as academics only reach parity with non-academics by the time they're in their fifties)
• Opportunities to work remotely, with 98% of respondents in one study sharing a desire to work remotely during parts of their normal working week
• A greater need for a flexible working schedule, especially during a period where 77% of global workers currently experience burnout during their current role

While the turnover rate for the sector may sit at 10.6%, that failure to retain only causes trouble. Hiring and training new staff, whether in academic or non-academic roles, takes both time and money away from institutions already having to take drastic action to get by. Departments lose that long-term institutional knowledge that helps to maintain a university's culture, while impacting the overall learning environment and subsequently giving students a negative experience.

Further productivity and morale are negatively impacted by the constant changeover in personnel, causing further headaches for vice-chancellors looking to run a sustainable and effective university.

This is why the higher education sector is looking towards new, innovative solutions to maintain operations and create a working environment that suits their staff.

Collaboration and communication

In higher education, collaboration extends beyond the traditional student/lecturer relationship, or the one between peers. Institutions work closely with a number of bodies, including local colleges as part of a 'whole systems' approach, stakeholders in local enterprise partnership (LEP) projects, and even other universities. Sharing ideas, resources and research should be a key area of focus for any university, but without the tools needed to collaborate and communicate, it's a difficult goal to achieve.

When staff don't have the capability to work closely with their colleagues, they're left frustrated by not being able to fully fulfil their specified role and will see their productivity take a negative turn.

When universities turn to a unified communication platform, departments can break down communication barriers by bringing communication channels together in one centralised location. Regardless of their actual location, staff can easily communicate with their peers, share ideas and work more effectively on shared projects. UCaaS solutions can improve productivity as real-time collaboration allows teams to make decisions 2.6 times faster, while any delays and misunderstandings are reduced due to this more streamlined way to collaborate.

When organisations promote collaboration and communication, employee turnover rates can be seen to drop by 50% - now that's a strong argument for unified communications!

When staff can focus more on their core responsibilities, they find greater satisfaction in their current roles. Employees that collaborate are 17% more satisfied in their job compared to those who don't, as they can partake in a working environment that promotes a sense of belonging and teamwork. Through features such as real-time file sharing and instant messaging, that collaborative spirit can be harnessed as staff can embrace a whole new way to work together.

Improving collaboration is one major benefit of unified communication, but it's the cloud-based nature of unified communications that can take collaboration to a whole new level.

Greater flexibility and the work-life balance

If there's one trend that has really taken off in the working world over the last few years, it's hybrid working. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on working models across the world and is certainly still making its presence felt. For 65% of workers working from home, their ideal setup would be one that sees them working from both home and the office.

Higher education institutions resorted to taking lectures and seminars online to continue their courses, with nearly a third of universities still offering hybrid courses. While that flexibility is great for the overall student experience and their own desire to balance work and play, staff need that flexibility as well.

When looking for a new role, 77% of employees would rather have flexible working than a pay rise. Providing that flexibility means universities can keep staff engaged and retain that pool of talent.

By being cloud-based, unified communications give staff the ability to work from anywhere (if they have a stable internet connection, of course). That flexibility has a huge impact on the mental wellbeing of staff, who can now have a firmer grip on finding a balance between each of their duties. Even the stress related to commuting (19% of employees have cited this as a reason for their stress) can be reduced, as unified communication builds the foundation towards a sustainable flexible working policy.

Considering 66% of employees intend to make changes to improve their own work-life balance, which may entail a change in role, there's no better time for universities to turn towards unified communications to provide that greater flexibility.

With only a third of organisations having formal rules for flexible work in place, it's an ongoing struggle when it comes to flexible working models. However, when higher education institutions adopt unified communications, the initiative is seized to shift towards those kinds of working patterns. UCaaS can provide a better work-life balance and ease the pressures of balancing multiple priorities when working a job in higher education.

Once staff can collect their thoughts, they can start focusing on other aspects of their job, including the need to develop their professional skills.

Development and training

For 90% of organisations, providing learning opportunities is the number one tactic for their employment retention strategy. That prioritisation derives from the fact that employees value the opportunity to develop their skills via ongoing training programmes. 59% of employees believe that training will directly impact their daily performance at work, with a further 58% of the workforce highlighting their own need for new skills to complete their work.

In a sector like higher education, where technology is evolving at a rapid pace, it's vital for the leaders of these institutions to provide the platforms necessary to provide personal development opportunities.

79% of learning and development professionals agree that it's less expensive to reskill a current employee compared to hiring a new one. With a unified communications platform in place, universities have the capability to deliver online training sessions, webinars and workshops for employees on site or remotely. Sessions of this variety can be held on a regular basis, allowing staff to stay updated with any of the latest developments in their field.

Technological change happens at a rapid pace, making it crucial for employees to stay ahead of these trends and keep their skills up to date. Whether it's in their own line of work, or even in addressing the digital skills gap within higher education, universities can hone the skills of their employees through a unified communications platform.

When staff receive the training they desire and can develop their professional skills, there's a greater chance for career advancement. 45% of employees would feel inclined to seek employment elsewhere due to the lack of opportunities to advance. The higher education sector is an example of one sector that requires a well-trained and skilful workforce to continue operations, especially when one key component of an academic's role is to arm the next generation with the appropriate skillset.

Unified communications allow pieces of professional development material to be shared with ease, guaranteeing that skills can be easily transferred and create that further impetus to develop professionally.

If staff are well-trained and have the drive to continue developing professionally, then students will benefit from a more refined learning environment.

The student experience and the learning environment

Creating a more connected, community-focus campus is one goal that institutions across the higher education sector share. Students require a stable and accommodating environment that allows them to not only succeed on their chosen degree path, but also develop key social and professional skills. The student experience is a vital focus point for universities, as a welcoming campus guarantees greater student retention.

Staff retention can actually have a major factor in this metric, especially when you consider how the leading factor behind student experience being worse than expected was teaching quality been worse than expected (37%).

Further research can suggest a link between staff retention and student retention, as the stability provided by knowledgeable and highly skilled lecturers helps create an atmosphere that encourages students to stay engaged. Unified communications can further develop that engagement by providing an infrastructure that makes communication and collaboration easy.

With 11.7 million online education users, that seamless communication means remote students can stay connected to their lecturers and not have their own education jeopardised. Students can learn on their own terms and fully benefit from these well-skilled academics.

As students benefit from real-time access to academic resources to facilitate their educational development, staff can feel a sense of accomplishment that their knowledge has been shared effectively. University staff will feel most fulfilled when they can work directly with students and play an active role in their education.

Unified communications can improve the operational efficiency of staff through the streamlining of processes, while tools within UCaaS solutions can encourage real-time interaction that improve the effectiveness of teaching.

The flourishing relationship between staff and students is one that improves retention on both sides of this equation and is one that can grow stronger through unified communications.

Retaining staff with unified communications

Whether running a company or managing an organisation in the public sector, employee retention is a top priority. Academic demands and the need for specifically skilled staff makes retention in the sector a challenge, especially at a time when financial circumstances warrant a more careful management of existing resources. With technological change developing at a rapid pace, there are always new innovative solutions ready to alleviate these challenges.

Unified communications offer a powerful solution for universities looking to retain their talented and highly valued staff. By improving collaboration, providing greater working flexibility, and supporting professional development, these systems create a more satisfying and productive work environment. As universities continue to navigate the challenges of the modern educational landscape, investing in unified communications and working alongside a provider like Gamma can be key when developing a strategy for long-term success and stability.

Plenty of challenges remain in the higher education sector, but deploying unified communications will see universities start to turn the tide on turnover.

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