Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Preparing Higher Education for Future Disruptions

Abstract

Triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the spring 2020 shift to remote work in higher education offers lessons on how to navigate future institutional disruptions. This case study examines the well-being of staff who engaged in remote work at the Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OUAS) before and during the pandemic, with the aim of building crisis resilience in higher education. The study involved quantitative and qualitative analysis of a two-wave, cross-sectional, institution-wide online survey administered in June 2020 and June 2021 (n=77 and n=145). Identical items enabled comparisons; quantitative summaries and hybrid content analysis were mapped to a physical, cognitive, and organisational ergonomics framework. The findings highlight the importance of meaningful face-to-face interaction between staff and students. Reduced contact increased the need for a “sense of belonging” and “student guidance”, although roughly one quarter of respondents reported being largely satisfied with remote arrangements. Reported downsides included “non-stop work” patterns and perceived suboptimal workplace ergonomics. Overall, remote work was associated with diminished social interaction, with potential negative effects on staff wellbeing, collaboration, and the generation of new ideas, patterns consistent with prior pandemic-era research. Translating these insights into resilience principles for HEIs, we recommend: (1) designing hybrid routines that preserve peer contact and student touchpoints; (2) instituting workload boundaries and clear rhythms to prevent continuous work; (3) providing ergonomic support (equipment, micro-break norms, guidance) for home offices; and (4) segmenting support to accommodate differing staff needs while monitoring wellbeing over time. These measures can help HEIs purposefully sustain remote-work wellbeing during future disruptions.