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