Why wellbeing matters to teachers and leaders
WHY WELLBEING MATTERS TO TEACHERS AND LEADERS
Domini Bingham Leading for Wellbeing, London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Institute of Education, University of London
Wellbeing for teachers is topical as staff in educational settings are experiencing ever more pressure in the workplace and so the leading for wellbeing in educational organisations is an important area of study. Wellbeing is subjective and there is no one clear definition. There is even no clear consensus whether it is one word or two! For some, it is quality of life, for others work/life balance and for others stress. For the ancient Greeks, the highest form of human activity was in the broad concept of flourishing or wellbeing. In Aristotle’s view, happiness is a lifelong virtue and activity. However, this does not occur automatically; it is a matter of habitually behaving in an appropriate manner in appropriate circumstances. Although it is arguable today that teachers are in a position to achieve wellbeing in the form so eloquently expressed by Aristotle, there are steps that can be taken.
Wellbeing has become an area of increasing interest and concern over the last decade, both individually and collectively, for the government, employers and the teaching workforce. The Office for National Statistics is developing measures to understand dimensions and features of national wellbeing while issues of wellbeing for teachers have been well documented. (Bubb and Earley, 2004, Teacher Support Network (TSN), National College) Currently the wellbeing of teachers in schools is reaching criticality as schools are placed under mounting strain. Some teachers are leaving the profession while other posts are threatened by public sector spending cuts. The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) (BBC, 2011) is advising that there will be largescale redundancies in schools. Some of this, they claim, will be due to the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) by the coalition government in 2010, which will result in a downscaling of staff teaching vocational courses. This is a novel situation facing headteachers and could affect the more expensive staff, such as heads and deputy heads. The Ebacc will also have an effect on wellbeing for staff as it is contentious. It was forced upon schools suddenly and retrospectively, with little consultation, giving teachers little time to adapt, resulting in additional pressure on both teachers and students. 14
At policy level, the Every Child Matters agenda stresses schools’ potential and duty to promote pupils’ wellbeing. But for teachers there is no formal policy on wellbeing in place although in the wider workforce many employers are introducing voluntary wellbeing programmes and schools are following suit. The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) places responsibility on employers to ensure the health, including mental health, safety and welfare of employees. Additionally, employers have moral and ethical responsibilities to minimise work-related stress. Although the link between the behaviour of management and wellbeing of staff is recognised, the approach in the UK has been one of influencing employers to adopting the approved voluntary HSE (Health and Safety Executive) six ‘management standards’. Wellbeing can be seen at an individual or at a collective, organisational level - the focus here is on the latter. What then might be the issues for leaders in schools for teachers and other staff? What questions does this raise in helping to get the best out of the school workforce, which can be seen in improving student performance? Issues of wellbeing for teachers Large-scale research conducted in schools in the UK (Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2007), showed 44% of teachers found their job very or
extremely stressful and 90% of respondents advised an increase in stress levels. In an uncertain time of cuts and fears over jobs, there is growing anxiety. In addition, stress and work-related illness affect teacher retention, exacerbated where teachers feel they are unappreciated or uninvolved in decision-making. Issues often raised include stress, increased workload, structural reorganisation and countless initiatives and issues of professionalism. Stress There are also many definitions of stress but a key one is a feeling of not coping. However, we know that some stress is good for wellbeing and helps to motivate and energise. A distinction can be made between good stress and bad stress (called distress). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) define (bad) stress as ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them’. What is clear is that the perception of a situation as stressful is complex as it is individual and dependent on each person’s context and on their specific personality characteristics. Therefore, great care needs to be taken in not dismissing individual emotional needs and requirements. Increased workload Teacher workload is a common reason for teachers to leave the profession and a further factor is Education Today Vol 61 No 3
Why wellbeing matters to teachers and leaders the long hours and lack of work/life balance (DfES, 2010). Additionally, Ofsted and formal testing creates an environment where teachers are teaching to the test, which places huge pressure on teachers and students. Ever higher targets are demanded, workloads increase and further pressure, with less staff to do the job, is placing strain on the workforce, while structural reorganisation and countless initiatives have affected staff morale and sapped energy. Issues of professionalism A related area to the above is one of reduced professionalism, which is seen as a loss of control and authority and a diminished sense of value. It is argued that teachers have lost autonomy and discretion in class environments, which as professionals, they still need to exercise. There is a dichotomy posed by the nature of the techno-managerialist and performance-driven system which is in tension against the way in which a learning organisation such as a school, needs to develop to support wellbeing for its workforce. Richard Sennett talks about being able to develop one’s craft. Teachers no longer have the privilege of being left to develop one thing – the art of teaching and educating pupils. Having to make judgements forces teachers into unacceptable decisions on the life chances of young people as to who is in and who is out in the classroom. This can be seen as pernicious, affecting wellbeing, sapping morale which, in turn, affects teachers learning and performance. Investing in wellbeing In these anxious times, an investment in a wellbeing programme is a smart move forward. For any school thinking of adopting a wellbeing programme and making it central to their planning three important elements need to be present. Returning to Aristotle, the Aristotelian view of wellbeing was seen as a holistic view of what makes a good life. Although rather further removed from most people’s minds today it holds currency and validity. Seligman’s work on positive psychology with its happiness lessons for schools, takes its Why wellbeing matters to teachers and leaders
roots from the master. So what might be some of the ingredients that resonate with the Aristotelian view in today’s school settings? Firstly, from an organisational view, it is important that wellbeing is seen as something intrinsic to an organisation and not as a bolt-on. Secondly, any wellbeing programme will falter and come to a speedy halt if there is no buyin from the senior leadership team. That is essential. Any wellbeing programme needs to be firmly incorporated into annual planning. Thirdly, this buy-in needs to be supported through the creation of wellbeing champions across all departments, who will in turn be supported by the senior leadership team. In terms of looking at what elements should be included in any programme, work/life balance, supportive environments and resilience seem to top the bill. Work/life balance We can accept that people’s work/ life balance differs according to life stages and there is a different emphasis on work according to life stages. For example, a teacher with their own children may be unhappy and not able or willing to devote long hours to the workplace that an older teacher might wish to do. However, as work/life balance comes up time and time again in every survey, we must also see it as an issue. Developing supportive environments; what do they look like? A recent piece of research shows that a line manager’s behaviour contributes over 60 per cent to the wellbeing of staff they manage, so developing organisational emotional intelligence becomes a priority. The HSE research refers to the fact that a line manager is crucial in acknowledging the preferences of individual team members helping to promote and play to their strengths and preferences. Line managers have a critical role to play in specifying and allocating job roles and so their behaviour and attitudes impact hugely on the quality of the working life of teams or individuals.
The resilience factor How then do you build resilience in people? Resilience is the amount to which people can ‘bounce back’ in the face of challenges, the expected and the unexpected both in the workplace and in their daily lives. It is a key factor in avoiding burnout, fatigue, feelings of negativity and depression. The good news is that it is a skill that can be learned and built up through re-examination of our beliefs; developing an awareness about our emotions; through developing positive outlooks; self-management strategies; assertiveness, and through having a wide network of support, both at work with a line manager and colleagues, and at home. Often this skill can be built up through coaching. Wellbeing needs now to be taken seriously as a leadership strategy to improve school effectiveness and adequate measures taken to reduce the rising work stress, particularly in the public sector. If a school is thinking about developing its wellbeing what is in place for the teaching workforce? One established source of assistance is the Teacher Support Network, and its associated work/life support, an independent group of charities which has been in place for a number of years providing 24-hour information, practical and confidential support and advice for individuals and schools. Also, the London Centre for Leadership in Learning at the Institute of Education is developing research and programmes in this area and has been offering a wide range of coaching programmes for a number of years. DOMINI BINGHAM’s background is in marketing and public relations, both in the public and private sectors and in international development, having worked for several years at the Commonwealth Secretariat. As a qualified teacher to adults, she is passionate about adults achieving their potential and addressing obstacles to achieving that. She has an MA in Lifelong Learning and is currently studying for her doctorate at the IOE, with research interests in leading for workplace wellbeing and interculturalism. d.bingham@ioe.ac.uk 15