Health and well-being hub

Climate change is already having serious impacts on the safety and health of workers in all regions of the world. Workers are among those most exposed to climate change hazards yet frequently have no choice but to continue working, even if conditions are dangerous. Global occupational safety and health protections have struggled to keep up with the evolving risks from climate change, resulting in worker mortality and morbidity. This report presents critical evidence related to the impacts of climate change on OSH, to bring attention to the global health threat workers are currently facing

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Publisher: International Labour Organization (ILO)
Year of publication: 2024

Topics: Climate change Physical health Safety
Available in: English French
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type: Downloadable file

"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.

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Publisher: Swedish Teachers' Union (STU)
Country: Sweden
Year of publication: 2024

Region: Europe
Topics: Workload
Available in: Swedish
Categories of staff: Teachers
Resource type: Downloadable file

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.

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Publisher: National Education Union (NEU)
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

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.

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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

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.

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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

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.

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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

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.

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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

This document presents the Recommendations of the The High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession that was convened by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. It emphasizes the urgent need to address the global shortage of teachers and improve their working conditions, salaries, and professional development. It advocates for investing in teachers through competitive salaries, quality training, and continuous professional development, while promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion to attract and retain marginalized groups. The document also highlights the importance of enhancing the status and dignity of the teaching profession, encouraging innovation and leadership among teachers, and integrating education for sustainable development, peace, and democracy into teaching practices. Collaborative efforts among governments, educational institutions, and international organizations are deemed essential for effective implementation of these recommendations.

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Publisher: International Labour Organization (ILO) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Year of publication: 2024

Topics: Cross-cutting resource
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Arabic
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Specific communities: Women
Resource type: Downloadable file

This research paper analyzes data from 16,460 survey responses collected through the a survey. It explores the prevalence of stress and burnout among school leaders, revealing that nearly one-third frequently experienced burnout and one in eight frequently experienced stress. The study finds that female leaders are more prone to burnout, while male leaders report higher stress levels. Additionally, primary school leaders and those in early career stages are more likely to suffer from these issues than their secondary and more experienced counterparts.

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Publisher: Educational Management Administration & Leadership
Country: Australia
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Asia Pacific
Topics: Mental health Workload
Available in: English
Categories of staff: School leaders
Resource type: Downloadable file

The report " Työhyvinvointi ohjelma" of the Finnish union OAJ outlines a strategy to improve the working conditions and overall well-being of professionals in the education sector. It emphasizes the importance of respectful treatment, sustainable work environments, and mental health support. The programme proposes legislative reforms, enhanced occupational safety, and better leadership practices to reduce work-related stress and prevent disability. It also promotes collaboration between employees, employers, and policymakers to ensure that educational professionals can thrive in their roles.

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Publisher: Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö (OAJ)
Country: Finland
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Europe
Topics: Peer relationships Safety Working conditions
Available in: Finnish
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type: Downloadable file

This research article presents a conceptual framework for understanding and categorizing the social–emotional skills (SEMS) of teachers, which are increasingly recognized as vital for both student development and teacher well-being. While SEMS have been widely studied in students, this paper emphasizes the need to define and structure SEMS specifically for educators, given their pivotal role in shaping classroom environments and student outcomes. Drawing from personality psychology and educational research, the authors propose a taxonomy based on the Five-Factor Model to organize key teacher SEMS such as emotion regulation, self-efficacy, enthusiasm, and interpersonal skills.

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Publisher: Frontiers in Education
Year of publication: 2023

Topics: Social emotional skills
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Teachers
Resource type: Downloadable file

This report explores the trajectory of 379 academic professionals from experiencing mental health issues to decisions around workplace adjustments, leave, and the return-to-work process, with attention to differences by gender and academic status. Key insights include that 60% of respondents reported a mental health issue; among those, 54% modified their work and 23% took a formal leave, of whom 83% ultimately returned, though return rates varied significantly by employment type. Women and tenure-track academics were particularly affected by increased psychological distress, burnout, and presenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Publisher: Healthy Professional Worker Partnership
Country: Canada
Year of publication: 2023

Region: North America and the Caribbean
Topics: Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Workload
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Researchers
Resource type: Downloadable file

The NEU's Model Policy on Violence and Assaults Against Staff provides a structured framework for schools to prevent and respond to workplace violence. It emphasizes the importance of creating a safe working environment by setting clear expectations and procedures for handling incidents involving physical or verbal abuse. The accompanying Model Reporting Form is designed to document all instances of violence, threats, or abuse directed at school staff, including supply teachers and contractors, ensuring that such incidents are properly recorded and addressed

Open resource in English

Publisher: National Education Union (NEU)
Country: United Kingdom
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Europe
Topics: Violence and harassment
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type: Downloadable file

This guide serves as a practical tool for union delegates involved in occupational health and safety committees. It outlines the legal framework, roles, and responsibilities of delegates, and emphasizes the importance of active union participation in bipartite health and safety committees within educational institutions. The guide also includes relevant national decrees, strategies for improving workplace conditions, and resources to support the defense and promotion of workers' health rights.

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Publisher: Federación Nacional de Profesores de Enseñanza Secundaria (FENAPES) Comisión de Salud Laboral Área de Formación Sindical CEIFF
Country: Uruguay
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Latin America
Topics: Physical health
Available in: Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type: Downloadable file

The 2023 UNESCO IICBA study assesses the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on teachers, teacher educators, and learners across selected sub-Saharan African countries. It highlights the growing recognition of mental health and well-being in education, emphasizing the interconnectedness between education, health, and psychosocial support. The study identifies key challenges faced by educators, ranks the severity of COVID-19’s negative effects, and explores innovative strategies adopted by governments. It also provides recommendations for building resilience, improving infection control, and enhancing psychosocial support systems, aiming to inform policy and advocacy efforts across Africa.

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Publisher: UNESCO IICBA
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Africa
Topics: Mental health Pandemics and epidemics
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type: Downloadable file

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Showing All 99 Resources

Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate

The time that isn't enough

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

Teacher wellbeing index - 2024

Activating the recommendations on teacher well-being

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

Teacher well-being: A global understanding

Recommendations and summary of deliberations of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession (2024)

The mental health of leaders in Australian government schools: Stress and burnout over a decade (2011–2020)

Occupational well-being programme

Social–emotional skills of teachers: Mapping the content space and defining taxonomy requirements

Healthy professional worker partnership: Academia case study survey findings

Violence and assaults against staff in schools model policy

Guide for the union representative on occupational health and safety committees

Assessment of the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on teachers, teacher educators and learners and psychosocial support needs in selected Sub-Saharan African countries