On Tuesday 21 April, over 100 interested individuals participated in the first SoFoKleS e-conference: Maak werk van werkdruk (Take on work pressure). Guest speaker Samula Mescher gave a keynote address on the various levels that provide opportunities for addressing work pressure.

In her keynote address, Mescher emphasised the importance of dialogue, personal experiences and the power of experimentation to find out what works and what does not. She also touched upon the possible consequences of the coronavirus crisis for work pressure at universities. What are the bottlenecks, where do opportunities lie and what lessons can we learn? Discourse on this question ensued among the participants. This article is accompanied by a visual summary of the conference.

Work-life balance

Mescher is well acquainted with university life. In 2011, she obtained her PhD with a study investigating how organisations support a proper work-life balance for their employees. She is currently employed as a coach and trainer helping academics to achieve a better balance in their work and extract more energy from it. Are you curious about her views and the three levels at which work pressure can be addressed? This e-magazine includes an interview with Samula Mescher.

Upcoming e-conferences and work pressure network

In the period ahead, SoFoKleS will be organising a number of other conferences on work pressure. Would you like to attend the next e-conference and stay up to date on all of the activities related to work pressure? In that case, sign up for our online work pressure network.