The new ‘business as usual’ for the higher education sector looks a whole lot different than when I first joined the sector.   Staff have transitioned to hybrid work environments and the assumption that we all multi-task and delivery fast is the norm. What hasn’t changed is uncertainty.

Uncertainty is not that unusual in this sector - think new projects, restructures, out-of-the-blue changes to senior leadership, budget cuts and flip in priorities – the list goes on. Also now introduced into the mix is a broader uncertainty that is more personal, as well as professional, and the pressure and worry about health, family budgets, housing trying to be the best you can possibly be, all factor in high in our day-to-day thoughts.

As COVID-19 swept through Australia and New Zealand, the higher education sector worked non-stop to keep the wheels of this mammoth beast that is the sector turning. Staff working within IT, library and eResearch really are the building blocks for our institutions and we must credit them with rising to the challenge to find solutions to keep their organisations running.  They have come out of this time knowing that they can adapt and deliver and dig deep when it is needed.  They have also come out of this with the added pressures of delivering all things at record speed.  So what does this mean for our psyche?

Ultimately we want to feel valued in our work and in our personal lives. We want to contribute meaningfully to discussions and share ideas, and we want to be involved in ‘the process’. The concept of empowering staff to do great things isn’t new and it remains just as important now, as it was years ago. In fact, it’s probably even more important now. Our IT managers are still having to manage staff but now in an environment that has changed dramatically and what were once face-to-face meetings are now online meetings, where it is more difficult to pick up those nuances in body language, humour and other identifiers that a manager will look for when having discussions with their team.

In increasing isolated work environments where ‘dropping in’ to discuss something with a colleague was once taken for granted and now involves less spontaneity and intentional thought, it is more important than ever for our higher ed and research organisations to continue to invest in their staff’s professional development to give them the tools to thrive in varied environments. Building resilience will spread (faster than the corona virus) to all those they are engaging with on a day-to-day basis. It gives staff something positive and tangible to look towards and a framework to hold on to and use to gain perspective and direction.

The value of programs such as those delivered by CAUDIT are numerous. The cross institutional networks they create are pivotal in times of sector disruption as is the habit of self-reflection that enables one to be open and receptive to change. These, all wrapped up in the embedded value of life-long-learning, are all wins for the individual and the organisation now and in the future when things really do return to ‘normal’.

Programs such as the CAUDIT Leadership Institute (CLI) provide a high-level strategic awareness of a broad spectrum of higher education issues, trends and institutional decision-making drivers. It teaches how to transition through change with the use of best practice tools. ‘Decision-making in Ambiguity’ and ‘Collaborative Leadership’ couldn’t be more relevant than right now and the value in understanding one’s leadership role in resolving situations is important for senior leaders.

Similarly the CAUDIT Managers Program (CMP) looks at flexible management tools that identify key elements of employee engagement and how to get through to different stakeholders. Not only is communication and influence important right now, but learning to listen and question efficiently will help shape the dynamics of many a team.

The Australasian higher education sector continues to support and build capability in its staff through exposure to management and leadership programs and in general through cross sector collaboration which when looked at in simple measures, makes it an increasingly attractive sector for employees.