While the exhaustion, disengagement and burnout scores calculated using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory in Part 1 are instructive and actionable, they paint more of a black and white picture of the industry. This week we’re adding some color. With over 200 quotes from practitioners who responded to the survey, fully encompassing all comments was impractical; however, as was the case in 2022, it didn’t take long for certain themes to emerge and provide the critical context needed to complete this snapshot of the industry.
The biggest and perhaps least surprising change from 2022 is the omission of COVID, but it’s notable that, from a burnout standpoint, the other stressors remain largely unchanged, particularly as they relate to compensation, respect from leadership, workload, work-life balance and the direction of the industry. Essentially, what has changed is the root cause. Rather than a pandemic, burnout accelerants are stemming from unprecedented upheaval. Given the fundamental changes that have occurred over the past three-plus years, administrators frequently used words like “overworked,” “undervalued,” and “unappreciated” to describe their current frame of mind in the workplace.
That said, several respondents maintain a positive outlook on both their roles and the industry. For instance, one FCS AD said, “College athletics these days is certainly different. The NIL space can be a total burnout, but all other aspects of working with our teams and student athletes is incredibly rewarding.”
For ease of organization, we’ve compiled your feedback into four main categories: Respect, Compensation, Workload and a more general Miscellaneous; however, as you’ll notice, there is significant overlap in each. |
