The impact of employee wellbeing in academic institutions in Northern Ireland

Abstract

This research investigates the impact of employee wellbeing (EW) in tertiary education (TE) institutions in Northern Ireland focusing on Ulster University (UU) and Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). EW is widely recognised as a key factor in organisational performance, yet current EW theoretical frameworks fail to address the complex realities of EW in the TE sector, particularly in the post Covid19 landscape with global disruption, increased workloads and various organisational demands.

This study investigates the core competencies of EW theoretical frameworks, develops and refines an EW conceptual framework for the TE sector, applies this proposed framework in two TE institutions in NI and proposes recommendations for practice. Six established EW theories informed this investigation: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Self-Determination Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory, Dynamic Equilibrium Theory, Broaden-and-Build Theory and the Job Demands–Resources Model.

An interpretivist, qualitative case study approach was used, employing semi-structured interviews with employees at both institutions. Thematic analysis identified five interlinked dimensions of EW in this context: Workplace Community, Psychological Connection, Growth and Development, Motivation, and Emotional Awareness. Findings revealed that leadership behaviour, peer trust, emotional labour and the “whole self at work” message are key to how EW was experienced.

The study makes five theoretical contributions: defining emotional credibility in leadership, recognising peer trust as a core component of EW, identifying the transfer of emotional labour onto employees, highlighting the risks of the “whole self” message and presenting an emotionally grounded conceptual framework for EW in the TE sector.

Practical recommendations include emotionally credible leadership onboarding, peer trust pulse audits, workplace emotion tracking and the creation of safe spaces for reflection. The research offers an integrated, evidence-based framework that can be adapted across emotionally complex organisations, contributing both to HRM theory and to the design of meaningful, context-specific EW strategies in the TE sector.

Date of Award	Feb 2026
Original language	English
Supervisor	Sandra Moffett (Supervisor) & Tonya Cullen (Supervisor)