RESEARCHARCH RESEARCH


Teachers at every level of education face considerable day-to-day pressures, and it’s not just the challenges of dealing with wayward students or excessive workloads. A 2014 University and College Union


survey of 2,250 staff working in further education (FE) colleges found that more than two-thirds of respondents felt like their workplace was negatively affecting their mental health. According to the survey, a significant


reason for this is that there appears to be a culture of presenteeism in FE – that feeling that you have to be at work when you’re ill and, on a regular basis, for far longer than your contracted hours. Presenteeism can be caused by a range of factors including job insecurity, heavy workloads and a lack of staff cover. But, in my experience, highly professional teachers and trainers are also reluctant to take time off for fear of letting down their students and their colleagues. The Prosocial Classroom Model (Jennings and Greenberg 2009) highlights the importance of well-being and social and emotional competence among teachers. The authors say that teacher well-being is necessary for developing positive student-teacher relationships and supporting effective learning. But research, examined by Jennings


REFERENCES


To activate these one-click links, and all other links in the magazine, log in to SET and access your interactive digital edition of inTuition. • Gail Kinman and Siobhan Wray (2014). Taking its toll: rising stress levels in further education. University and College Union Stress Survey. Read the report at goo.gl/bBGLHK


• Patricia A. Jennings, Mark T. Greenberg (2009). The Prosocial Classroom: Teacher Social and Emotional Competence in Relation to Student and Classroom Outcomes. Available for download at goo.gl/KhwUcD See the Education and Training Foundation website for support and resources relating to mental health and wellbeing.


22 ISSUE 34 • WINTER 2018 inTUITION


Maureen O’Callaghan offers training and mentoring to create less stressful and more productive working environments. A Member of SET, she has a Certificate in Education, a University Diploma in Mentoring in Education and an MSc in Mindfulness-Based Approaches. maureen@mocallaghan.co.uk


An action plan to tackle presenteeism and burnout among FE teachers


Ever feel under pressure to regularly work far longer hours than you’re paid for, or to work when you’re ill? If so you may have succumbed to presenteeism, and that can lead to burnout, says Maureen O’Callaghan.


and Greenberg, suggested a connection between a lack of social and emotional competence and teacher burnout. Burnout creeps up slowly, and it


presents as a feeling of physical and mental exhaustion that affects your personal and professional life. The signs can include sleep problems, trouble concentrating, irritability and more physical symptoms such as falling ill and experiencing headaches and changes in appetite.


PREVENTING BURNOUT There are a number of things you can do to prevent burnout, or at least mitigate some of the effects. These include: • Taking regular breaks. Performing well at work is not about working harder than everyone else. Coming in early and staying late is not sustainable.


• Having a digital detox. Make a rule that you won’t respond to work emails or messages after a certain time in the evening.


• Making time for things you enjoy. Go for a walk in the evening or schedule a date night with your partner. Slumping in front of the TV might be appealing, but active downtime will boost your physical and mental energy.


• Having a creative outlet. Burnout kills creativity. Try to be creative in your spare time to counteract any feelings of being frustrated or stuck at work.


• Looking after yourself. When you’re feeling burned out, it’s more important than ever to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep and find time to relax. Doing well in your career should never be at the expense of your health.


• Finding support. Talk to a close friend or trusted colleague. It really helps to have someone to talk to who might be able to help you maintain perspective.


FE EMPLOYERS FE providers need to take a long-term view and realise that if staff are coming to work when they are ill, then they are more likely to have a significant amount of time off in the long run. The FE sector as a whole needs


to address the day-to-day pressures on staff and work on finding solutions to manage them. Some solutions cost next to nothing, like recognising hard work, allowing staff participation in decision-making, and communicating with staff more effectively. Other measures, such as introducing a staff health and well-being policy can be of huge benefit. The policy might encompass things like introducing staff exercise groups or subsidised gym membership, healthy eating or weight management groups, stop smoking sessions, and mindfulness meditation and relaxation sessions.


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