Never Complain, never explain

[Jollyjuly]

So, the old adage:

'Never complain, never explain'.

Do you do this at work?

I've been in post 9 months (secondment lecturing position into academia from a local authority post). There's so much problematic about academia (from workloading to misogynistic structures) that I'm finding it hard to just put up and shut up - if not because of my own situation, then on principle.

I find myself appalled on lots of occasions and know that things need raising but if I do that, it disadvantages me hugely in terms of the chances of my being considered for a permanent post down the line.

For those of you in vulnerable positions, do you point out injustices or put up and shut up?

I'd say pick your battles. Things like workload have been problematic for decades in academia - you could complain, but it is not easy to fix and so it more likely to backfire.

if you see a problem and have some idea of how it could be solved, that is the thing to mention. So if something like only holding meetings within core hours, or making sure appointments committees are representative is relevant to your dept, that might be the thing to focus on.

Does your dept do things like Athena Swan? That aims to reduce the misogyny, and getting involved in that can be a way to at least try to make helpful changes.

They do Athena Swann but it's very much a PR exercise really. The culture is very unhealthy with respect to emails, etc out of core hours. I swear some people hold back sending these until after 8pm at night to project the impression they've no spare time / are hugely busy.

There's so much problematic about academia (from workloading to misogynistic structures) that I'm finding it hard to just put up and shut up

Well, you know ... I have limited sympathy, I'm afraid. The workload thing - I think that a lot of people who are not academics underestimate - and actively dismiss - the work we do: its intensity, the high standards required, and the actual volume of it, as well as the requirement for expertise in a number of disparate areas. Academics multi-task at a very high level.

Today, I - advised a colleague on their response to peer evaluations for a large external funding grant; gave feedback to a postgrad on 2 proposals for papers/journal articles, plus feedback on a chapter draft; dealt with the budget & finance regulations of my own research grant, including reworking budgets across several spreadsheets; dealt with an NHS psychologist wanting to talk to me about one of my undergrads, plus navigated University bureaucracy & exam regs to try to help this student; edited some of my postdoc's writing for our research project website; liaised with an archive about a visit there, the materials I wanted to consult, and then tried to work out the cheapest way to get there by train & find a cheap but reasonable hotel.

In addition to working my way through a book I'm reviewing. And this was a day of fairly autonomous work, with no teaching or meetings.

So I think this is not something you should complain about. Most people ave absorbed out-dated (and frankly insulting) stereotypes of academics' workloads (long holidays blah blah blah).

The misogyny: this needs constant attention and calling out. Just find ways to politely call it out. You don't need to complain - just call it out.

I swear some people hold back sending these until after 8pm at night to project the impression they've no spare time / are hugely busy.
No, it's probably just convenient. I do a lot of emails while I'm watching television in the evening. I tend to set them to send at 8am the next day, though.

@Jollyjuly

They do Athena Swann but it's very much a PR exercise really. The culture is very unhealthy with respect to emails, etc out of core hours. I swear some people hold back sending these until after 8pm at night to project the impression they've no spare time / are hugely busy.

I agree. I have lots of colleagues who are very good at performing busyness. It can lead to an unhealthy culture but there's also enough autonomy in academia that you can choose how much to engage with it.

What I mean is that just because emails are being sent late at night/at weekends, doesn't mean you need to reply out-of-hours.

But I agree with both the other posters. In academia, we have to switch gears regularly throughout the day and make sure we're across everything at a high level. It takes practice. But, again, there are some ways to try and control it like clustering all reviewing work on one day.

I also agree that you should pick your battles wisely. You're not going to be able to address the 'big' issues like workload or people sending emails at different times. But calling out the 'small stuff' can absolutely help to change a workplace culture without being seen as a 'problem' person.