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Article

Workforce Experiences of a Rapidly Established SARS-CoV-2 Asymptomatic Testing Service in a Higher Education Setting: A Qualitative Study

by
Holly Blake
1,2,*,
Sarah Somerset
2,3,
Ikra Mahmood
1,3,
Neelam Mahmood
1,
Jessica Corner
4,
Jonathan K. Ball
5,6 and
Chris Denning
3,6
1
School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2HA, UK
2
NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
3
School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
4
Executive Office, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
5
School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
6
Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12464; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912464
Submission received: 28 August 2022 / Revised: 28 September 2022 / Accepted: 29 September 2022 / Published: 30 September 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health and Wellbeing during and beyond COVID-19)
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Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore workforce experiences of the rapid implementation of a SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic testing service (ATS) in a higher education setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The setting was a multi-campus university in the UK, which hosted a testing service for employees and students over two years. Qualitative semi-structured videoconference interviews were conducted. We contacted 58 participants and 25 were interviewed (43% response rate). Data were analysed thematically. The analysis produced four overarching themes: (1) feelings relating to their involvement in the service, (2) perceptions of teamwork, (3) perceptions of ATS leadership, (4) valuing the opportunity for career development. Agile and inclusive leadership style created psychological safety and team cohesion, which facilitated participants in the implementation of a rapid mitigation service, at pace and scale. Specific features of the ATS (shared vision, collaboration, networking, skills acquisition) instilled self-confidence, value and belonging, meaningfully impacting on professional development and career opportunities. This is the first qualitative study to explore the experiences of university employees engaged in the rapid deployment of a service as part of a pandemic outbreak and mitigation strategy within a higher education setting. Despite pressures and challenges of the task, professional growth and advancement were universal. This has implications for workforce engagement and creating workplaces across the sector that are well-prepared to respond to future pandemics and other disruptive events.
Keywords: workforce; higher education; universities; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; careers; employability workforce; higher education; universities; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; careers; employability

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MDPI and ACS Style

Blake, H.; Somerset, S.; Mahmood, I.; Mahmood, N.; Corner, J.; Ball, J.K.; Denning, C. Workforce Experiences of a Rapidly Established SARS-CoV-2 Asymptomatic Testing Service in a Higher Education Setting: A Qualitative Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12464. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912464

AMA Style

Blake H, Somerset S, Mahmood I, Mahmood N, Corner J, Ball JK, Denning C. Workforce Experiences of a Rapidly Established SARS-CoV-2 Asymptomatic Testing Service in a Higher Education Setting: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(19):12464. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912464

Chicago/Turabian Style

Blake, Holly, Sarah Somerset, Ikra Mahmood, Neelam Mahmood, Jessica Corner, Jonathan K. Ball, and Chris Denning. 2022. "Workforce Experiences of a Rapidly Established SARS-CoV-2 Asymptomatic Testing Service in a Higher Education Setting: A Qualitative Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19: 12464. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912464

APA Style

Blake, H., Somerset, S., Mahmood, I., Mahmood, N., Corner, J., Ball, J. K., & Denning, C. (2022). Workforce Experiences of a Rapidly Established SARS-CoV-2 Asymptomatic Testing Service in a Higher Education Setting: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12464. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912464

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