Employee well-being is taking a toll at colleges and universities. Contributing to this strain, higher education leaders face mounting pressures: shrinking budgets, evolving student expectations, and the relentless pace of technological and societal change. Amid these challenges, it’s tempting to treat every task as an urgent priority, demanding immediate action from faculty and staff. However, this approach risks cultivating a culture of burnout, mistrust, and diminished morale. To build thriving academic communities, higher ed administrators must prioritize well-being leadership must prioritize meaningful communication, strategic prioritization, and the well-being of teams. If we critically evaluate the urgency and impact of tasks, leaders can foster environments that mentally and emotionally support faculty, staff, and students while advancing institutional goals.

The Urgency Trap in Well-Being Leadership

The urgency trap is a pervasive issue in higher education. When every email, initiative, or deadline is framed as critical, faculty and staff are left stretched thin, unable to discern what truly matters. This constant state of crisis erodes trust, as employees question whether leaders value their time and contributions. For instance, a directive to overhaul a curriculum by the end of the semester may seem essential to administrators aiming to stay competitive. Without clear communication about its purpose on how it benefits students or strengthens the institution, such demands can feel arbitrary. Faculty, already juggling teaching, research, and service, may perceive this as a top-down imposition rather than a shared goal. Over time, this dynamic breeds resentment and disengagement, which undermines effective leadership.

Communicating Value for Well-Being Leadership

Transitioning to a more intentional approach requires leaders to articulate the “why” behind tasks. Effective communication is the cornerstone of well-being leadership. When leaders explain how a task aligns with the institution’s mission or enhances student outcomes, they invite faculty and staff to see themselves as partners in a collective vision. For example, if a new assessment initiative is introduced, leaders should connect it to tangible benefits, such as improving student retention or meeting accreditation standards. By framing tasks within a broader context, leaders transform routine directives into opportunities for meaningful contribution. This fosters buy-in and empowers employees to prioritize their efforts effectively, a hallmark of leadership focused on prosperity and employee morale.

Prioritizing Tasks in Well-Being Leadership

Equally critical is assessing the true urgency of tasks. Higher ed leaders need to ask, “If this task isn’t completed by this deadline, what’s the real impact?” This question distinguishes between what is genuinely critical and what can be deferred. For instance, a report required for state compliance may have a non-negotiable deadline, but an internal policy review might be flexible. By exercising discernment, higher ed leaders prevent the default assumption that everything is urgent. This approach mitigates overburdening faculty and staff, who often juggle multiple roles. Deferring non-essential tasks signals respect for employees’ time, reinforcing a culture of trust central to well-being leadership.

Well-Being as a Pillar of Higher Ed Leadership

Prioritizing well-being is not secondary but a strategic imperative. Overworked faculty and staff are less likely to innovate, mentor students effectively, or contribute to institutional goals. A culture equating constant urgency with productivity undermines employee morale. For example, a faculty member tasked with meeting an unrealistic deadline for a new program proposal may cut corners or disengage, compromising quality. Conversely, when leaders model balance by setting realistic timelines and encouraging self-care, they create an environment where employees feel valued. This enhances retention, productivity, and institutional loyalty, all outcomes of leaders focused on employee happiness.

Student Impact Through Well-Being Leadership

Well-being leadership also benefits students. Supported faculty and staff can devote more energy to teaching, advising, and creating enriching experiences. A professor freed from unnecessary administrative burdens has time to engage students in research or develop innovative curricula. These interactions shape students’ intellectual and personal growth. By contrast, a culture of urgency leads to transactional interactions, with faculty too stretched to invest in mentorship. Well-being leaders recognize that protecting employees’ quality of life directly enhances the student experience by creating a virtuous cycle of engagement and success.

Practical Steps for Well-Being Leadership

To implement well-being leadership, leaders can adopt practical strategies. First, conduct regular audits of tasks, evaluating their alignment with institutional priorities and consulting faculty and staff to understand workloads. Second, invest in training to improve communication skills with a focus on ensuring directives are clear, transparent, and tied to shared goals. Finally, establish feedback mechanisms, allowing employees to voice concerns about unsustainable workloads. These steps require effort but yield significant returns in morale, trust, and resilience.

Conclusion

Higher education leaders stand at a crossroads. The pressures of the academic landscape are real, but succumbing to constant urgency is a choice with far-reaching consequences. Through well-being leadership, we need to communicate value, assess urgency, and prioritize well-being. This process allows leaders to cultivate environments where faculty, staff, and students thrive. This shift, from control to collaboration and urgency to intentionality, ensures institutional prosperity. Let us ask not only what must be done but why it matters, and how we can do it together.

For more information on crafting a well-being leadership stratecy, contact Dr. Theresa Billiot at Higher Ed Change Agents.