‘Who’s looking after the researchers?’ The missing conversation in research culture

This blog was kindly authored by Dr Yanyan Li, Co-PI of the project ‘Exploring Experiences of Researchers Conducting Emotionally Challenging Research’ and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Dr Shaoyu Yang, Co-PI of the above project and Dr Helen Nolan, Director of Education Quality and Associate Professor at Warwick Medical School.

When we talk about research culture we often focus on funding, collaboration, innovation and research excellence. These are all important. But there is another part of research culture that rarely makes headlines: the emotional labour of doing research.

Every day, researchers across UK universities study some of society’s most difficult issues. We interview survivors of domestic abuse, speak to people living in poverty, document the experiences of refugees, analyse accounts of violence and investigate health inequalities and discrimination. This work is essential. It helps us better understand the world and informs policies that can improve people’s lives.

However, one question is rarely asked: who is looking after the researchers who are investing in doing such research?

Research is often seen as an intellectual activity. We spend a great deal of time discussing methods, ethics and impact. We are less comfortable talking about emotional experiences arising from it. Many researchers may not contemplate the depth and frequency of emotional impacts arising from their work. And, without a supportive research community, they may come to believe that emotional reactions are simply part of the job and should be dealt with privately.

But experiencing emotional impacts during research does not imply personal or professional weakness; it is an occupational reality.

Through our Enhancing Research Culture project at the University of Warwick, we have been exploring the wellbeing of researchers who work on emotionally demanding topics. Although participants came from different disciplines and career stages, many shared similar experiences. They spoke about carrying difficult stories long after interviews had ended. Some found themselves thinking about participants outside working hours. Others felt emotionally exhausted after repeated exposure to traumatic experiences or distressing materials.

Most strikingly, many researchers told us they had never been prepared for this aspect of research. They had received training in research design, methods and ethics but very little guidance on managing the emotional demands of their work.

Moreover, early career researchers often faced an additional challenge. Many worried that admitting they were struggling would be seen as a lack of resilience and competence. Those on short-term contracts or working towards promotion did not always feel empowered to legitimately say they needed support. As a result, many just carried on quietly.

This should concern the whole higher education sector. Universities rightly invest significant effort in improving research culture, and they hope their people can thrive in a positive environment. They encourage collaboration, promote equality, diversity and inclusion, and create opportunities for researcher development. These initiatives have made an important difference. But if we overlook researcher wellbeing, we risk leaving a significant gap in our understanding of what a healthy and effective research culture really looks like.

Supporting researchers does not mean shielding them or deterring their engagement with difficult topics. On the contrary, society needs research that tackles complex and often painful issues, as many people live with these problems and await solutions. But researchers should not be expected to shoulder the emotional burden alone.

Meaningful change requires investment at multiple levels, including sustained funding for appropriate resources and specialist support. It also requires changes to everyday research practices. 

Research teams can make space for regular safe and reflective peer conversations after emotionally demanding fieldwork. Supervisors can enable reflexive discussion of emotional wellbeing alongside research design and ethics. Research training should include practical guidance on recognising and managing emotional challenges. Universities can create environments where routinely talking about these experiences is viewed as good professional practice rather than a sign of weakness or deficiency.

There is also an opportunity to rethink research ethics. Ethics processes rightly focus on protecting research participants, but they could pay greater attention to the wellbeing of researchers themselves. Asking how researchers will be supported throughout emotionally demanding projects should become as routine as asking how participants will be protected. Preparation of ethics protocols offers an opportunity to consider both participant and researchers’ wellbeing needs. Some ethics committees, including those at the University of Warwick, now offer preparatory training to support researchers to reflect on and respond to these issues.

These changes are not simply about kindness. They are about sustaining excellent research. It is essential to building the research culture the sector wants to see.

Researchers who feel supported are more likely to remain and flourish in academia, building positive collaborations and continuing to explore some of society’s most pressing challenges. Ignoring the emotional labour of research, on the other hand, risks burnout, staff turnover and the loss of valuable expertise. The hidden cost of research is no longer something universities can afford to overlook.

The higher education sector has made great progress in recognising that research culture shapes the quality of research. The next step is to recognise that researcher wellbeing is not separate from research culture. It is central to it.

If we want research that transforms lives, we must also care for the people who make that research possible. Looking after researchers is not an optional extra. It is one of the foundations of a healthy, sustainable and successful research system. Policy should therefore recognise researcher wellbeing as a core part of research culture, embedding support for emotionally demanding research in research ethics, researcher training and institutional research strategies.