Organisational attachment and the academic: a collaborative autoethnographic reflection within the “newer normal” context of emergent workplace norms in UK higher education

Purpose With hybrid working having become more commonplace and normalised within higher education in the post-Covid-19 period, this paper considers whether such trends have impacted the level of attachment that academics experience in relation to their institution. In doing so, there is scope to gain a greater understanding of academic behaviours and working practices in the post-pandemic environment, with potential implications for higher education institutions in their future staff development strategies, initiatives and interventions. Design/methodology/approach A collaborative auto-ethnographic approach was adopted to examine the lived experiences of four academics reflecting on their personal career journeys and related fluctuations, over time, in feelings of attachment towards their institution. Findings Despite personal contextual differences, the changing “newer normal” context of the post-pandemic period has contributed to each academic experiencing changing levels of attachment and foci in their roles. Research limitations/implications Coupled with the declining nature of academic citizenship and a shifting psychological contract, increasing levels of disconnect and dysfunctionality within higher education institutions in the post-pandemic period can lead to a relative decline in sense of staff belonging and engagement, which should be of concern to institutional management. Originality/value This study provides an original reflection on the changing features of attachment in higher education, indicating that the connectedness of academic staff goes beyond their connection to the institution, also being grounded within individual relationships that are increasingly subject to change and strain within the emergent post-pandemic hybrid working context.