Keys to Retaining Supervisors in a Time of Turnover
While the ongoing turnover crisis impacts all of higher ed, supervisors are among the hardest hit. In our recent study, The CUPA-HR 2023 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey, supervisors say they’re grappling with overwork and added responsibilities (especially when their staff members take other jobs), while struggling to maintain morale.
Supervisor retention is especially critical in a time of turnover, as these are the employees we rely on most to preserve institutional knowledge and provide continuity amid transition. But our research shows that many supervisors are not getting the kinds of institutional support they need. By empowering managers to make decisions on behalf of their staff, institutions make it less likely that their supervisors will seek employment opportunities elsewhere.
The Supervisor’s Perspective
Taking a closer look at the data, it’s clear that supervisors are overworked and under-resourced. Seven in ten work more hours than what is expected of full-time employees at their institution. Nearly double the percentage of supervisors versus non-supervisors agree that it is normal to work weekends and that they cannot complete their job duties working only their institution’s normal full-time hours.
Supervisors are also facing challenges unique to their leadership roles. Filling vacant positions and maintaining the morale of their staff are their chief worries:
Strategies for Supervisor Retention
Given the pressures supervisors are under, what can institutions do to ensure that their top talent won’t seek other employment? While common retention incentives like increased pay and recognition are crucial, supervisors need improved institutional support.
Our data show that supervisors are in need of the following:
- The power to advocate for their staff
- Support and resources
- Management training
- The ability to make decisions about their staff’s schedule flexibility (a key factor in helping supervisors retain their staff)
When supervisors are empowered in these ways, they are less likely to be among the 56 percent of employees who say they’re at least somewhat likely to search for a new job in the coming year.
Additional Resources
Managing Stress and Self-Care: “No” Is a Complete Sentence (On-Demand Webinar, August 2023)
Ready to Crack: Solutions for HR Managers Dealing With Burnout (Spring 2022)
