In the latest instalment of our recruitment series talking to international school leaders, we head to Hong Kong to hear from Mark Steed, principal and CEO of Kellett School, the British International School in Hong Kong, about the ”uncharacteristically challenging” recruitment round that his school experienced this year and the new trends driving competition for talented staff.

He also explains how the school is strengthening opportunities for career progression - and why the shift to online interviews has helped to bring more expertise into the interview process.

How did your teacher recruitment for this academic year go?

In common with many schools in Hong Kong and China, we found the 2022 recruitment round uncharacteristically challenging.

We usually complete the lion’s share of our recruitment by the end of January, but this year we were still recruiting in June.

The changing situation in Hong Kong in relation to quarantine and compulsory Covid testing prompted a couple of candidates to withdraw after accepting and signing to start in August, which prolonged the process.

Thankfully, we eventually got there with “Kellett quality” teachers, but it was a struggle. Hopefully, the 2023 round will be much more straightforward now that Hong Kong has lifted its quarantine measures.

Have you adapted your recruitment strategies over the past few years?

The past few years have seen the international recruitment round move earlier. At Kellett, we issue our contract renewals for the following year in October and staff have to re-sign by mid-November. This timeline allows us to complete a full recruitment round of advertising, shortlisting and interviewing before the Christmas break.

Lessons learned during Covid have meant that we have moved towards online interviews for most teaching candidates, although we continue with in-person where and when logistics permit.

Pre-Covid, headteachers went on recruitment trips to the UK, with the consequence that other senior and middle leaders were excluded from the interview process.

Since moving to online interviews during Covid, we have been able to get a lot more people involved. Deputy headteachers, heads of department and phase leaders can be included in the online panel interview.

They bring greater subject or age-group expertise to the process; and, in turn, they receive excellent on-the-job professional development in what is an important school leadership skill. Furthermore, because they have a say in the appointment, they are more invested in the onboarding of their new team member.

One other legacy of Covid is that we place great weight on high-quality professional digital portfolios in which prospective candidates can showcase their best practice.

The past few years have also seen a shift in the power dynamic in recruitment. Interviews have become a two-way process with candidates asking detailed questions about wellbeing and professional development programmes.

Increasingly, candidates are looking for much more than the high salaries that are a feature of working in Hong Kong.

Have you hired more from nearby schools or other regions around the world?

Our recruitment patterns at Kellett have shifted in the past few Covid years with us drawing on the excellent pool of (mainly ex-pat) teachers in Hong Kong.

The big-name franchise schools in China and the Middle East have been very fertile ground for our teacher recruitment.

Looking ahead, now that Hong Kong is reopening after Covid, we anticipate that we will return to recruiting increasing numbers of teachers from the UK.

That said, the annual DSIB (Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau) inspection round in Dubai and the biennial round in Abu Dhabi mean that teachers from the United Arab Emirates, in particular, bring much-needed experience of inspection, which is generally lacking in Asia.

What has staff retention been like this year?  

It is not surprising, given the headwinds facing Hong Kong, that staff turnover was higher than normal in 2022.

Covid restrictions were not the only factors here.

As I have written previously the retirement and promotion of key staff allowed us to reorganise and make a number of internal promotions to create a new senior leadership management structure.

Have you seen any changes or new trends in retention?

There are two related factors driving teacher retention in international schools: the opportunities that are available in the school for professional development and the opportunities for progression or promotion.

The generation of teachers who are coming into international education take a much more proactive approach to their professional and career development, and thus gravitate to schools that can provide this.

Most top candidates ask about this at interview and it is undoubtedly becoming one of the most important factors that individuals consider when deciding whether to re-sign or to look for opportunities elsewhere.

Covid has shown that current and prospective staff place a much higher significance on the distance and ability to travel back to their home country, especially to be present at key life events, such as family weddings and when loved ones are ill.

Are you rethinking approaches to staff retention as a result?

At Kellett, we are endeavouring to combine a range of high-quality professional learning opportunities with a talent management programme that will develop all of our staff (teachers, teaching assistants and administrators).

The most innovative part of this approach is our development of a talent pipeline through our “tour of duty” model.

In essence, staff retention requires positive conversations that explore how the school can support the professional and career aspirations of staff, while aligning with the wider development goals of the school as a whole.

How does wellbeing play into retention efforts?

Staff wellbeing has become one of the most important areas for school leaders to consider. While overt wellbeing initiatives have their place, staff wellbeing is about more than “yoghurt and yoga”.

The greatest impact that school leaders can make on staff wellbeing is creating a working culture that is supportive, open, safe and where there is a sense of belonging. Creating a culture like this needs buy-in from everyone in the organisation.

It entails leaders managing timetables, lesson allocations and the workload of staff; it requires reviewing deadlines and reporting schedules; and it requires putting in place appropriate levels of support. 

Above all, it requires being a listening school. Schools that prioritise this sort of wellbeing initiative are much more likely to retain their staff.

Mark Steed was talking to Dan Worth