It is likely that we have all experienced or perpetrated cultures of presenteeism, or had them held up as a model of good working practice - teachers celebrated for working into the night, offered a promotion for “working beyond” their role or given a nod of approval for responding to an email at 11pm.

And yet, we know that workload is the principal reason for teachers leaving the profession at pinch points in their careers: directly following the NQT years; after five years in the profession; for women, between the ages of 30 and 39; and when teachers are nearing retirement.

Far from benefiting our students, this toxic culture of presenteeism is poisoning our education system and removing teachers from our classrooms, and it has to stop. So, what does good practice look like?

Be flexible

One way that schools can discourage the negative effects of presenteeism is by embracing flexibility. No one is denying that certain aspects of teaching require a staff member to be present, but pointless presenteeism at the expense of positive mental health is the tipping point for many teachers who decide to leave. In some cases, being absent could in fact allow staff to be more present when it counts.

Flexible models can reduce procrastination and disrupted workflow, and can help staff to feel more motivated and energised when they are on site.

There is no one-size-fits-all model for flexibility but examples successfully implemented by schools include:

• Letting staff start late or finish early to miss the rush-hour traffic, to manage childcare and school drop-offs/pick-ups, or to catch up on much-needed sleep.
• Allowing teachers to take PPA time at home so that lengthy or high-focus tasks can be completed without interruption.
• Granting part-time hours at all levels to decrease turnover, allow staff to explore CPD and personal development opportunities, and to recruit and train more sustainably at a time of teacher shortages.

While it does take some practice in the short and medium term, the physical absence of colleagues forces policies and systems to become more efficient, especially around communication. When led and managed effectively, these improved systems result in a well-oiled and sustainable machine that provides maximum continuity for students, regardless of who is on site or not.

Set an example

Trainees and early-career teachers are arguably the biggest victims of presenteeism. Modelling healthy and sustainable working practices is the job of every qualified teacher, and this responsibility only gets bigger the more experienced we become.

Tasks like planning and marking take trainees far longer than an experienced practitioner, so it is essential that they are learning from colleagues who prioritise their own wellbeing by working smart, not hard. Telling a trainee that they “should be done” at 5.30pm while remaining at school doing your own “very important business” until 6.30pm only leads to confusion.

Instead, lead by example and set clear boundaries for yourself that help you to get in and out at a reasonable time. Model what sustainable practice in teaching looks like to an inexperienced colleague and your actions will speak much louder than words. Especially when leading teams or mentoring, be clear and objective about directed time, and celebrate and learn from those who are able to achieve their outcomes within these hours.

When a trainee or early-career colleague is struggling, take time to explore this with them: what is it that is taking so long and how can you practically support them to work more efficiently?

In supporting others to be absent, rather than insisting that they are present, you might just improve your own productivity and find you have more time for yourself!

Leave loudly

If you are not in a leadership position, your most powerful tool is to leave loudly. Knock on every classroom door as you walk out to say goodbye. Tell colleagues that you are off to dinner with friends. Wax lyrical about how energised you feel because of an additional 15 minutes’ sleep in the morning and how little difference it has made to your photocopying routine.

Marvel at how much time you wasted before committing to arriving 20 minutes’ later than before. Turn down requests to work at the weekend or during the holidays firmly and without justification - do it with a smile and a shrug if you like, but whatever you do, don’t apologise.

When you behave like this, you don’t know who is watching - in a good way! Challenge the culture of presenteeism in your school bravely and without shame. You won’t just improve your own work-life balance, you’ll make teaching a more sustainable career option for those who respect and admire your sense and courage.

Lead the culture shift

But much of this has to sit with leadership. In the past five years, I’ve experienced numerous incidents of toxic presenteeism. Phrases like “swanning in and out” and “working half days”, and apparently harmless banter about broken alarm clocks, can be easily mistaken as camaraderie.

Since having children, however, this verbal jousting strikes me nothing more than stupidity. Let me be as frank as possible here: there have been times in recent years where I have listened to conversations around presenteeism and wondered if I am the only sane person in the room. Why on earth would any logical-thinking adult celebrate a culture that was causing our profession to self-destruct?

The sad truth is that those who deride colleagues for doing a good job within directed time, or even within reasonable hours, are simply publicising their own inability to manage their time effectively. These colleagues are likely to be the victims of poor leadership or highly challenging contexts in which they are floundering. The only option they feel they have is to do more, because the task ahead of them will otherwise seem insurmountable. These colleagues deserve empathy and support from responsible leaders committed to staff wellbeing for the good of their students.

If you are in a position of influence, begin by announcing your expectations of productivity over presenteeism as clearly, publicly and regularly as possible. If working patterns don’t seem to change, analyse why these members of staff feel they have to be present in order to serve the students they care about, and make concrete changes to policies and practices to help them better manage their workload. If you’re not sure where to start, address marking, planning and timetabling as a priority.

Emma Sheppard is founder of the MaternityTeacher/PaternityTeacher (MTPT) Project and a lead practitioner for English

This article originally appeared in the 28 June 2019 issue under the headline “Instead of burning the midnight oil, we should extinguish presenteeism”