Why is Workload Equity Important?

How university faculty spend their time, and whether they feel their workload is fair compared to their colleagues, shapes faculty retention, productivity, promotion, and satisfaction. In some cases, faculty do more than their fair share of the department’s workload. In other cases, faculty just think they are engaged in more work because colleagues’ workload is not transparent. 

Research shows that women and faculty of color engage in disproportionate amounts of teaching, mentoring, and service work, relative to peers and controlling for institutional type, discipline, and rank.  

Department work practices (e.g., sharing of data, rotations of time intensive roles, credit systems) that support equity are significant, positive predictors of workload satisfaction and perception of fairness. 

Department conditions that support equity (e.g., transparency, clarity, flexibility, and accountability) are significant, positive predictors of faculty satisfaction with workload and perception of workload fairness. 

The goal of this action project is to improve organizational policies and practices that shape equity in workload for all faculty, including women and faculty of color. Participating departments take part in a pre- and post-test survey, four project activities, and craft equity minded department policies and practices to implement at the conclusion of the project.