Concerns raised about chronic understaffing at Birmingham ahead of start of term

For several years now, the University of Birmingham unions have sounded the alarm about workload pressure and overstretched services. 

As the start of a new academic year looms, there are warning signs that things could be reaching a crisis point, and we think all staff, students and other members of the University community need to be aware of this.

HSE inspect stress and workload arrangements

In early September, over three days, the HSE interviewed managers, employees, and union members about the arrangements the University has in place to identify and control work related stress, and whether these are effective. 

The union focus groups covered a wide range of examples of overwork, micromanagement, bullying and equality issues.

While the inspectors were really interested in staff awareness about the effectiveness of stress policies, many staff spoke about being unaware of policies or risk assessments and also spoke about them not being effective even if they did exist.

We highlighted issues around lack of consultation with unions, and the apparent lack of power managers have to control workloads. The culture of overwork and brushing safety concerns under the carpet was a major theme as well as a lack of senior level engagement in resolving the issues, and failures to consult with staff and recognised unions.

Most tellingly of all – academics from across the institution described workload allocation models as completely unfit for purpose, applied unfairly and divorced from the reality of work, which leads to many academics working late into the evening and at weekends to keep on top of things. Non-academics, aside from some specific departments, generally have no system to manage their workload at all. 

While university rankings publish the ratios between academic staff and students in the classroom, what is less visible but no less important are the ratios between the Professional Services staff and students. Between 2017 and 2025, one school has seen an all time high in student numbers while staffing is now at an all-time low: from 176 students per member of professional services staff in 2017 to an astounding 333 students per member of professional services staff in 2025.

Poor working conditions for staff affects students’ experience and learning. We know that students want staff to be treated well, and a good learning environment is one where both staff and students are not overworked and stressed. 

The strain on fronline services

Aside from academic and administrative roles, many frontline and facilities services are also showing the strain. 

Departments such as cleaning and Estates lost multiple positions at the end of the last academic year to the university’s voluntary leavers scheme, meaning that repairs, maintenance and general cleanliness of the University’s many buildings on campus could suffer as campus gets busier in a few short weeks. 

The receptions around the campus where students go to seek help, including libraries, departmental offices, and accommodation have fewer staff there to help the students who really need us. 

Valuing staff – what needs to change

As well as workload and staffing numbers, staff morale is being affected by the lowest pay offer since the pandemic. The University is only offering 1.4% to all staff, which is basically a pay cut of more than 3% with inflation rising again. 

Unison (representing grade 2-5) staff already have a mandate to take strike action, with this likely to happen next week (the first week of term) in the absence of an improved offer from the University.

Our colleagues in UCU (representing grade 6 and above staff) are part of the dispute that all national HE unions have registered with Universities across the country. The sector nationally is in crisis, with chronically poor funding meaning that Universities across the country are either facing huge workload pressure or cutting jobs.

The industrial action that unions across the sector are considering is not about damaging the services we provide – we are trying to send a message that things need to change now. 

With record numbers of students due to arrive at the University next week, we desperately need a sign from the University that our concerns have been heard. 

Please also see UCU’s version of this post, which contains more information about the national dispute and the opportunities available to UCU members to engage with it.