Elevated employee turnover in higher education—including faculty, administrators, and staff—driven by occupational stress and burnout, presents serious institutional challenges. This first narrative review in a 2-part series examines psychosocial risks affecting employees and outlines approaches for cultivating a supportive organizational climate. Analysis of administrator focus groups identified several major themes: trust and psychological safety, coping strategies and support networks, communication effectiveness, individualized well-being approaches, leadership practices and resource distribution, and professional growth and acknowledgment.
Drawing from these themes, 6 psychosocial hazards are examined in depth using evidence-based definitions, evaluation methods, intervention strategies, monitoring approaches, and supplementary resources and recommendations. Each part of this 2-part series addresses 3 hazards. Across the 3 core focus areas, we present evidence-informed recommendations for schools and colleges of pharmacy to enhance employee support. For Job Demands/Task Stressors, institutions should implement transparent workload guidelines, clarify roles, and adopt strategies to mitigate work–family conflict. For Rewards/Recognition, organizations are encouraged to ensure fair compensation, develop systems for individualized recognition, and conduct continuous evaluation. For Autonomy/Flexibility, employers should explore flexible work options, job crafting initiatives, and provide institutional backing for employee autonomy. Adopting a comprehensive and proactive strategy across individual, departmental, and institutional levels can help mitigate psychosocial hazards, strengthen workplace health, enhance employee well-being, and lower turnover.
