Ei-iE

Health and well-being hub Education International’s resource center

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Categories of staff: Teachers
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Suffering at work: an underestimated issue?

Policy briefs and Policies

The article discusses the significant issue of workplace suffering, highlighting that 43% of workers report experiencing some form of suffering, with 7% facing severe distress. It emphasizes the urgent need for organizations to address physical and psychosocial risks, and calls for the recognition of work-related mental illnesses as occupational diseases. The UNSA stresses the importance of better information for workers about their rights and the necessity for companies to create healthier and safer working environments.

Open resource in French
Publisher
Union nationale des syndicats autonomes - Education
Country
France
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Physical health Safety Violence and harassment
Available in
French
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

The time that isn't enough

Research

"Tiden som inte räcker till": The research report resents statistics on how teachers' working hours are allocated across various tasks. It examines the distribution of time spent on teaching, substituting, mentoring, preparation, and follow-up work during an average week for primary, secondary, and adult education teachers. The report highlights the challenges teachers face in managing their workload effectively.

Download resource in Swedish
Publisher
Swedish Teachers' Union
Country
Sweden
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Workload
Available in
Swedish
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Downloadable file

Working on greater social safety

Guides

The article discusses strategies for improving social safety in educational institutions. It highlights the importance of understanding team dynamics, seeking external help for team problems, addressing conflicts proactively, and ensuring good leadership. The article also emphasizes the need for clear rules of conduct, effective personnel policies, and a transparent complaints structure to create a safe and pleasant working environment for all staff members.

Open resource in English Open resource in Dutch
Publisher
Algemene Onderwijsbond
Country
Netherlands
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Safety Violence and harassment Working conditions
Available in
English Dutch
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Web page

The mental health crisis among faculty and college staff

Opinion/commentary

The article highlights the growing mental health crisis among faculty and college staff, emphasizing that they experience high rates of anxiety, depression, and stress, similar to students. It underscores the importance of on-campus mental health support, reasonable workloads, respectful work environments, and fair pay. The article also points out that the mental health challenges faced by faculty and staff are often overlooked, despite their significant impact on overall well-being and job performance.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Association (NEA)
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2024
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel Researchers Union representatives
Level of education
Higher education and research
Resource type
Web page

Health and safety in schools and colleges

Guides

This guide on health and safety in schools and colleges provides essential information for ensuring a safe educational environment. It outlines the responsibilities of employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, including risk assessments and the implementation of safety measures. The guide covers various topics such as accident reporting, administration of medicines, asbestos management, fire safety, mental health, and work-related stress. It emphasizes the importance of a written health and safety policy and the need for collaboration with union safety representatives to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all staff and students.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Physical health Safety
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Web page

Guidance and checkist: Implementing the recommendations of the workload reduction taskforce

Guides

The guidance and checklist provides support for implementing NEU's workload reduction taskforce's recommendations in educational workplaces. It highlights the importance of reducing excessive working hours and administrative tasks that do not require professional skills, aiming to improve teacher and leader wellbeing. The document includes an updated list of admin and clerical tasks that should NOT be performed by teachers, emphasizes the need for collaboration with union reps, and outlines steps for schools to ensure that workload reductions do not increase the burden on support staff.

Download resource in English
Publisher
National Education Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type
Downloadable file

State of education 2024: Workload and wellbeing

Research

The article discusses some of the results of the State of Education 2024 survey where over 8,000 National Education Union members participated. The survey asked teachers and support staff about their personal experience of workload and the forces affecting their wellbeing. The survey reveals that the majority of teachers and support staff in England and Wales are struggling with unmanageable workloads, leading to significant stress and poor work-life balance. Key factors related to stress include government-driven factors such as inspections, insufficient staffing levels, and lack of resources.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Salaries and remuneration Working conditions Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel
Resource type
Web page

Workload, wellbeing and Covid-19

Guides

The page outlines five key principles for workforce policy and practice in schools to address the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. It emphasizes the need for schools to allow teachers and school leaders to focus on their core responsibilities, support them amidst unprecedented pressures, and prioritize their wellbeing and mental health. The page also highlights the importance of tackling excessive workload drivers, such as unnecessary administrative tasks, and ensuring that teachers' and school leaders' contractual and statutory entitlements are respected to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Open resource in English
Publisher
NASUWT - The Teachers' Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

Fresh thinking and new mental models needed to improve teacher wellbeing

Opinion/commentary

The interview with Sinead McBrearty, CEO of Education Support, a teacher welfare charity, discusses the findings of the 2024 Teacher Wellbeing Index, highlighting the rise in verbal and physical abuse from pupils, pressure from parents, and lack of support from external services as key stressors for teachers. McBrearty emphasizes the need for fresh thinking and new mental models to improve teacher wellbeing, advocating for increased funding, better support from public services, and effective workload management. The interview underscores the importance of creating a supportive work environment and offers insights into how Education Support is helping teachers navigate these challenges.

Open resource in English
Publisher
NASUWT - The Teachers' Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Job satisfaction Mental health Recognition Respect
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

Making universal social protection a reality

Course or training materials

The course provides an introduction to social protection, covering different issues including the human right to social security, the need for social protection over the life cycle, the process of building universal social protection systems and the key role of social protection in confronting the major challenges that the world is facing.

Open resource in English Open resource in French
Publisher
International Labour Organization (ILO) l’Ecole nationale supérieure de Sécurité sociale (EN3S)
Year of publication
2024
Topics
Social protection
Available in
English French
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Researchers
Resource type
Video

Teacher wellbeing index - 2024

Research

This report draws on a survey of over 3,000 UK education professionals to reveal persistently high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout across the sector, with 77% of staff reporting mental health symptoms linked to their work. It highlights a worrying increase in challenging behavior from pupils (82%) and difficult interactions with parents (70%), both of which significantly impact staff wellbeing, and underscores the negative effects of inadequate support from public services on morale and work-life balance. While there are slight improvements in perceptions of workplace culture, concerns such as insomnia (46%), irritability, and concentration difficulties remain widespread.

Download resource in English
Publisher
Education Support
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Leadership Mental health Peer relationships Physical health Respect Violence and harassment Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Level of education
Early childhood education Primary education Secondary education
Resource type
Downloadable file

Activating the recommendations on teacher well-being

Policy briefs and Policies

This briefing captures the recommendations of United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession that are focused on teacher well-being. Key recommendations include improving working conditions, ensuring mental health support, and promoting professional autonomy and development. The Panel calls for comprehensive national policies and multi-stakeholder commissions to enhance teacher well-being and support, particularly in crisis-affected regions. 

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
Education International (EI)
Year of publication
2024
Topics
Cross-cutting resource
Available in
English French Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Downloadable file

Teacher and education support personnel well-being : Vital for education

Policy briefs and Policies

This policy brief outlines the importance of teacher and education support personnel (ESP) wellbeing to high quality education. It sets out a road map for education unions and their members on how to ensure that educational jurisdictions put in place practical strategies for enhancing the wellbeing of all teachers and ESP. All the evidence shows that student achievement is dependent on teachers and ESP who are positive about themselves and their ability to teach.

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
Education International (EI)
Year of publication
2024
Topics
Cross-cutting resource
Available in
English French Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Researchers
Specific communities
Ethnic minorities Indigenous Peoples LGBTIQA+ Women
Resource type
Downloadable file

Teacher and ESP wellbeing and mental health: vital for quality education - Resolution from the 10th World Congress

Policy briefs and Policies

Resolution on wellbeing for quality education, adopted in 2024 by the 10th EI World Congress. The resolution highlights the lack of robust global research on this topic, the impact of poor wellbeing on education quality, and called for comprehensive policies and practices to support teacher and ESP mental health and wellbeing, especially in crisis and conflict settings.

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
Education International (EI)
Year of publication
2024
Topics
Cross-cutting resource
Available in
English French Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Researchers
Resource type
Web page

Teacher well-being: A global understanding

Research

This report verses about the urgent need to address teacher well-being globally. It emphasizes the importance of improving teachers' mental and physical health, job satisfaction, and resilience through systemic changes. The report identifies key factors affecting teacher well-being, such as workload, stress, and burnout, and advocates for collaborative efforts among governments, educational institutions, and international organizations to implement effective policies. It also explores the potential for a global index to measure teacher well-being, considering cultural and contextual differences.

Open resource in English
Publisher
Education International (EI) Education Support
Year of publication
2024
Topics
Cross-cutting resource
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Level of education
Early childhood education Primary education Secondary education
Specific communities
Early-stage career Ethnic minorities Women
Resource type
Downloadable file