Make sure you have left by 3.30pm on Friday.”
Comments like this from a member of the senior leadership team may be said with the best of intentions, but they can sometimes hurt more than they help.
Many teachers feel powerless over their workload, meaning that large-scale initiatives to improve wellbeing - such as forcing staff to leave by a certain time - can actually fuel stress and resentment.
As a middle leader, you may feel caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to such initiatives. You recognise the need to put strategies in place to improve wellbeing but you also see the flipside of these policies. In fact, being somewhere in the middle actually makes you perfectly placed to take a lead on improving wellbeing.
While you may feel that you have little influence on wider school policy, there are still plenty of steps you can take to move things in the right direction.
Rally the SLT
Tackling teacher wellbeing will be a huge uphill struggle if the SLT are not on board. But, as the title suggests, a middle leader is in the unique position of being able to both act up and act down; they can be the voice of the teachers and they can help to convey the messages of the leadership team.
First, you need to determine whether your SLT are serious about supporting their teachers’ wellbeing. Do they consider the health of teachers a priority over things like results or Ofsted? They should. Teachers who are mentally and physically healthy will take less time off with illness and have more enthusiasm in the classroom, helping to move children towards the desired outcomes. In your role as middle leader, you can present this as a case to the SLT for supporting initiatives relating to teacher wellbeing.
Overwhelm them with evidence showing that improving wellbeing is not just good for the staff, it is also good for school results, too. Convince senior leaders to hold a welfare forum to find out what staff need, and then suggest things to address the problems. However, be mindful of that ever-looming barrier: the budget. Come armed with ideas that require little to no money.
Know your team
As a middle leader, you will probably be managing fewer people than more senior members of staff, so it will be easier to get to know your team. What are their strengths, weaknesses, aspirations and interests? If you know your team well, you will have a better chance of noticing when their wellbeing is dipping, and you can address the problem early to prevent them from spiralling into burnout. Watch for signs of stress such as changes in behaviour, eating habits or the amount of time taken to complete tasks. This is particularly important if you are managing newly qualified, recently qualified or trainee teachers, as they are adapting to and learning to manage their workload.
Be proactive in finding things that will be of interest to your team, such as free lectures, TeachMeets or other events, and support them to attend these. You could also suggest that they run an after-school club based on an interest they have, but only if this will not place an extra burden on them.
In managing other people, it can also be easy to forget your own wellbeing, which can then become a barrier that prevents you from supporting others. Avoid taking on extra work yourself in order to reduce your colleagues’ workload. Instead, think about how you can use the strengths of your team to best complete tasks.
Promote connection
Human connections are vital for wellbeing, so motivate staff to engage in a group project. Teachers are often goal-orientated people who love to achieve, so try launching a happiness or wellbeing “challenge” that gives staff something new to do each day. This could be a fitness or healthy eating goal, or it could take the form of a staff book club, exercise class or a “skills swap”, where you share skills and hobbies so that everyone learns something new. Learning new things can improve confidence and be a great way to relieve stress.
Stamp out negativity
Feelings of negativity present a huge barrier to wellbeing, especially when they are coming from above and below. Middle leaders must try to advocate for both sides, while stemming the tide of negativity. It is important that you listen to teachers’ issues and support where you can, but then pass this on to the SLT in a constructive way. You also need to shield the members of your team from any unnecessary negativity raining down from senior leaders, and support teachers in adapting to changes in a positive way. Don’t let negativity fester in your team; tackle it as soon as you spot it.
Lacey Flook is a middle leader at the Bridge Learning Campus in Bristol
