Rethinking campus staffing: Building resilient teams while controlling labor costs

Staffing in higher education has always been a complex equation, but in today’s environment, it’s become even more challenging. Departments across dining, events, athletics, and facilities are navigating rising turnover, seasonal surges, and tighter budgets, all while trying to maintain an exceptional experience for students and the broader campus community.

And the stakes are high. When staffing falls short, the ripple effects can be felt everywhere, from a closed food station in the dining hall to long lines at a stadium event or a maintenance backlog in the residence halls.

To help universities navigate these realities, we’ve developed a University Staffing Report: Lessons from institutions across the country. Grounded in conversations with higher ed leaders across the country, the paper outlines a practical, flexible staffing framework that supports core teams, scales for peak periods, and protects long-term sustainability.

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👉 Download the full report here

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Why a layered approach matters

The report explores the Layered Staffing Model, a structure that balances:

• Permanent staff who provide institutional knowledge and consistency
• Recurring flexible workers who offer steady support across semesters
• On-demand workers who can step in quickly for events, seasonal peaks, or last-minute callouts

By clearly defining these layers, universities can better match staffing to demand, reduce burnout, and maintain service quality even under pressure. It’s not about replacing existing systems, it’s about evolving them to meet today’s challenges.

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What you’ll find in the full report

• A breakdown of how staffing challenges show up differently across dining, facilities, athletics, events, and more
• Key tradeoffs of various workforce models, including self-operated, outsourced, unionized, and non-unionized environments
• A 4-stage staffing maturity model to help assess where your campus stands
• Real-world insights from institutions already embracing flexible staffing strategies
• Actionable tips to begin layering support, even if you’re starting small

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Supporting people first

Ultimately, great staffing is about more than filling roles, it’s about supporting people. When done well, a layered staffing strategy helps students take on jobs without compromising their academics, allows core staff to focus on meaningful work, and gives leaders the tools to adapt without scrambling.

If you’re looking to build a stronger, more sustainable workforce on your campus, this paper offers a thoughtful place to start.
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👉 Download the full report here