Understanding Research Culture: What researchers think about the culture they work in

Abstract

Background: The current performance of UK research can be presented as highly successful, but evidence has emerged about issues with working culture in research and the impact this may have on people and their work. Wellcome commissioned market research agency Shift Learning to investigate current perceptions and experiences of research culture among the research community. Methods: This article presents key findings from two phases of this project: 94 qualitative interviews and a quantitative e-survey with 4267 usable responses. Interview invitations were sent out to UK-based research staff at various career stages. The survey was open to international respondents, but the majority of responses came from the UK. Respondents came predominantly from academia and the sample was intentionally skewed towards biological and biomedical sciences. Results: While participants considered the quality of research outputs to have generally remained high, many felt that issues impacting research culture were becoming more apparent and there was real concern about the future of research professions and the high personal cost for individuals. Factors identified as disruptive to research culture included chasing impact, increased competition, proliferation of metrics, job insecurity and rigid career pathways. Poor research culture manifested in workplace behaviours and practices, including problems with management and leadership and unhealthy power dynamics, such as patronage, bullying and harassment, discrimination and exploitation. These conditions were linked to a range of negative impacts on the researchers and the research outputs. Conclusions: The research ecosystem is characterised by increased levels of competition, lack of job security and insufficient career flexibility. A key takeaway is that the conditions in which research takes place are not inclusive and lack sufficient support mechanisms, which is negatively affecting researchers’ wellbeing, and work-life balance. Such research culture was perceived as unsustainable.

Addressing the mental health crisis

“…In another study 2 , more than half of 3,659 PhD students surveyed experienced symptoms of psychological distress, and 32% were at risk of developing a common psychiatric disorder. In Wellcome’s survey 3 of over 4,000 UK researchers, 34% of respondents reported seeking professional help for depression or anxiety during their research career, and 19% said that they wanted to seek help, but had not done so. There is also evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is having an adverse impact on the mental health and wellbeing of researchers 4 , 5 .…”

“…In the longer term, the pool of talented researchers available to lead the next generation of cancer research may be reduced. The Wellcome survey found that the most common reasons given by those who had left the research community were a desire for a better work-life balance (37%) and a negative impact on wellbeing and mental health (34%) 3 .…”

“…More than half of the respondents in the Nature 1 and Wellcome 3 surveys reported that long working hours and a poor work-life balance were affecting their personal wellbeing. With increased working at home during the pandemic, boundaries between work and home life are difficult to maintain.…”

“…Some workplaces create unreasonable expectations regarding working hours, which are particularly problematic for those with disabilities and/or caring responsibilities. Researchers also reported bullying, harassment and discrimination as endemic in some research environments 3 .…”

“…While most universities and institutes provide good mental health and wellbeing services, these may not be tailored to the needs of postgraduate researchers. Workplace support is also widely seen as inadequate, with only 44% in a UK survey agreeing that their workplace offered adequate wellbeing support and only 28% agreeing that workplace wellbeing initiatives were appropriate to their needs 3 .…”