The numbers on supervisor overwork in higher ed paint a concerning picture: 72% of supervisors say they work additional hours beyond full-time, and 21% of supervisors say they work 11 or more additional hours per week, as reported in The CUPA-HR 2025 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey.
How can institutions retain this crucial group of employees, who shape workers’ day-to-day experiences, retain institutional knowledge and maintain operational continuity? Our data found that supervisor success depends on providing them with the resources to manage effectively.
Supervisors Under Pressure
Concerns about burnout and the sustainability of supervisory roles in higher education are mounting. According to CUPA-HR data, supervisors face longer hours, higher expectations and fewer opportunities to disconnect. Compared to non-supervisors, supervisors are:
- Nearly twice as likely to report difficulty taking paid time off (38% vs. 20%)
- Almost twice as likely to say they cannot take breaks (23% vs. 12%)
- More likely to have absorbed the responsibilities of other staff who left (61% vs. 48%)
- More likely to have experienced an increase in job expectations (64% vs. 49%)
- More than twice as likely to be expected to respond outside of regular hours (42% vs. 19%)
- More likely to say their job causes them to feel anxious (60% vs. 45%)
When Supervisors Thrive
Despite overwork and rising expectations, supervisors are less likely to leave than other higher ed employees. Our 2025 survey found that increased demands and responsibilities now positively predict overall employee retention (as opposed to being a negative predictor of retention in our survey two years ago).
Why are added demands now seen as more positive than two years ago? It’s possible that as higher ed fully emerges from pandemic-era overwhelm, employees now see more responsibility as an indication of trust and a way to grow their careers, which is perhaps why supervisors in particular are less likely to look for other opportunities.
Context is critical. Additional demands and responsibilities are positive when they are viewed as opportunities — and rewarded and recognized as such — but negative when they are perceived as simply more work with little reward.
What Supervisors Are Saying
Among supervisors’ many challenges, securing funding is at the top, with 78% ranking it as either very challenging or somewhat challenging. Other challenges that supervisors rank as top concerns are filling empty positions, maintaining staff morale and planning and managing the budget.
When asked to rate the level of challenge they experience across various aspects of their role, here’s what supervisors said:
How to Keep Supervisors
When supervisors feel supported by their institution — through access to resources, decision-making power and the ability to advocate for their staff — they are more likely to stay. The CUPA-HR 2025 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey offers supervisor-specific retention strategies, including:
Empower supervisors with the authority and resources to lead effectively. Supervisors need access to financial resources to thrive. They should not only be well-trained but also trusted with decision-making power around flexible work and staff support.
Reduce overwork and unrealistic expectations. To avoid supervisor burnout, institutions must address workloads. When extra responsibilities are assigned, these should be treated as career growth opportunities, rewarded with promotions and pay increases.
Additional Resources to Support Supervisors
CUPA-HR Resources on Management Training
Managing Stress and Self-Care: “No” Is a Complete Sentence
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