Understanding Occupational Stress and Managerial Supervisory Challenges in Botswana’s Private Tertiary Institutions: An Empirical Analysis

Occupational stress is a growing challenge in higher education, particularly in developing contexts where institutional resources and governance structures are often limited. This study investigates the key sources of occupational stress among academic staff in Botswana’s private tertiary institutions and examines the challenges faced by managers who supervise stressed lecturers. Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates survey data with qualitative insights from academic staff and managers in Gaborone, based on the findings of PhD thesis and shows that excessive workload, administrative demands, resource shortages, work life imbalance, and psychosocial pressures are the most prominent stressors affecting lecturers. Managers similarly report difficulty recognizing stress, balancing supervisory responsibilities, and navigating institutional constraints that limit supportive interventions. Reflecting international patterns, occupational stress in Botswana is closely tied to structural and organizational conditions rather than individual shortcomings. The study contributes context-specific evidence to the limited African literature on academic stress and highlights the need for strategic workload management, supportive leadership practices, and strengthened institutional systems within Botswana’s private tertiary sector.