A bibliometric review of the development and evolution of the research topic on the academic staff well-being

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on academic staff well-being, focusing on global trends, research hotspots, and collaboration networks over 2006 to 2024. By leveraging data from the Web of Science database, the authors utilized visualization tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer to scrutinize 112 relevant articles. The study's main objectives were to identify key themes, influential entities (journals, institutions, countries, and authors), and emerging research directions in this field. The findings reveal a steady increase in research on academic staff well-being, with a significant acceleration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The USA and Austria were identified as the most productive countries in terms of research output, while China demonstrated a higher level of collaboration among institutions and authors, suggesting a strong regional focus on collaborative research efforts. The research hotspots identified include negative factors such as burnout and work-family conflict, positive factors like job satisfaction and work engagement, and improvement measures including organizational support and professional development. The study also draws attention to the limitations of previous research, such as the lack of diversity in participant backgrounds and the understudied topics of academic professionalism and leader support. By offering methodical summary of the current state of research on academic staff well-being, identifying gaps, and offering suggestions for further research, this study contributes to the field. It underscores the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches and the need for more diverse and context-specific research to enhance the well-being of academic staff globally. This comprehensive analysis not only highlights the importance of addressing well-being issues in academia but also provides a roadmap for future research to build upon existing knowledge and fill identified gaps.