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Resilience in Leadership: Why It Matters for Alberta’s School System Synthesis Report

Prepared by Graham Lowe, PhD The Graham Lowe Group Inc. April 22, 2016

Enclosure 3.1.5

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Resilience: What It Means for Leaders and Organizations ............................................................................... 7 A Model of Resilience in Leadership ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Resilience in Leadership Survey Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 10

Key Survey Findings ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 Job Conditions ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Work Environment ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Organizational Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

Professional Development ................................................................................................................................................ 12 Promoting Health and Wellness ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Taking Time Off ................................................................................................................................................................. 13

Psychological Capital and Transformational Leadership ...................................................................................................... 13 Psychological Capital ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 Transformational Leadership ............................................................................................................................................ 14

Individual Well-being ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Satisfaction and Engagement ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Self-reported Health ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 Stress and Burnout ............................................................................................................................................................ 16 Absenteeism and Presenteeism ........................................................................................................................................ 17

Organizational Performance ................................................................................................................................................. 17 Determinants of Organizational Success .......................................................................................................................... 17 Psychologically Healthy Workplaces................................................................................................................................. 17 Human Resource Risks ...................................................................................................................................................... 18

Actions to Improve Well-being and Leadership ................................................................................................. 18

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Endnotes ........................................................................................................................................................................... 20

3 Resilience In Leadership Project: Synthesis Report

Executive Summary The Resilience in Leadership (RIL) Project is an innovative collaboration between the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) and the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP). The Project takes an evidence-based approach to improving the well-being, resilience and leadership capabilities of Alberta’s school system leaders. It is part of a larger, comprehensive undertaking by ASEBP to address resilience and strive to support positive health in all aspects for ASEBP members. It is being conducted in two Phases. Phase 1 took place in 2015 and had three components:

A confidential survey of all active CASS members with a 69 per cent response rate1.

The survey respondents were an accurate representation of the active CASS membership as a

whole, including both superintendents and associate superintendents.

An analysis of relevant ASEBP health claims data.

Post-survey consultations with CASS members about priority actions.

The consultations identified a number of actions, which will be implemented in Phase 2 of the Project during 2016. This Executive Summary highlights key findings and recommendations from the Phase 1 survey and post-survey consultations.

Job Conditions Over 95 per cent of survey respondents feel very committed to their job, derive a sense of

accomplishment from it and have ample opportunity to continue learning.

Respondents also have influence on decisions and job autonomy – important stress moderators. However, these particular job features do not give CASS members all the resources they need to address the considerable stressors they face in their jobs.

Many respondents experience their job as ‘very hectic’ and face conflicting demands from others.

Long work hours are typical among survey respondents. Close to 40 per cent have work weeks of 60 hours or more. To keep up with work demands, almost all respondents take work home with them.

Work Environment

Teams are respectful, supportive and inclusive. Four out of five respondents have positive working relationships with their Board of Trustees and are treated respectfully by trustees.

Two thirds of respondents report to a superintendent, and this group feels that their superintendent treats them respectfully and fairly.

The survey also identifies opportunities to provide educational leaders with appropriate feedback.

Organizational Resources

1Respondents reflect the demographics of the active CASS membership. Retired CASS members were not included in this survey.


About 70 per cent of respondents receive the training needed to do their jobs effectively.

Survey respondents who report to a superintendent get support for professional development, but there is room to improve feedback and support for work-life balance.

Fewer than three out of five respondents agree that their school jurisdiction promotes the health and wellness of its employees.

Two in three respondents rate their workplace as ‘psychologically healthy’.

There is limited use of eight of 12 basic health and wellness resources provided by ASEBP (or another benefit plan) or school jurisdictions.

Fitness facilities are not available to about one third of respondents, though respondents noted they’d use these facilities if available.

CASS members may not be taking adequate time off to recharge from their busy jobs.

Psychological Capital

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is characterized by four personal attributes: efficacy, optimism,

hope and resilience. When combined, these traits are robust predictors of well-being, job

satisfaction and job performance.

PsyCap is a strong predictor of other individual and organizational outcomes. Scores on the

PsyCap scale have a significant and positive relationship with respondents’ health, well-being

and stress levels.

Overall, survey respondents have well-developed PsyCap. Dealing with work stress is the least-developed aspect of PsyCap for respondents.

PsyCap is a strong predictor of other individual and organizational outcomes. Scores on the

PsyCap scale have a significant and positive relationship with respondents’ health, well-being

and stress.

Transformational Leadership Survey respondents selectively practice transformational leadership (TL).

Between 45 per cent and 55 per cent of respondents frequently display four features of a TL style. These include building respect from others, helping others develop their strengths, encouraging others to look at problems from different angles and expressing confidence that goals are achievable.

PsyCap positively influences TL.

Individual Well-being CASS members responding to the survey have high levels of job satisfaction, feel inspired to

achieve their best job performance and are highly engaged in their work.

PsyCap is closely related to engagement. Over half of respondents with high PsyCap are also highly engaged, compared with less than one in 10 among those who report having low PsyCap.

Self-reported Health

RIL survey respondents rate their general health somewhat below three national benchmark groups (other professionals in education, management occupations and all employed Canadians).


Survey respondents are more likely than the benchmark groups to perceive their health to be good, fair or poor, rather than excellent.

Respondents gave somewhat lower ratings of their mental health than benchmark groups.

One in five RIL survey respondents had improved their overall health during the previous year, similar to the benchmark groups. However, a slightly larger proportion of survey respondents (compared with the benchmark groups) experienced declining health status during this time.

Stress and Burnout Close to half of RIL survey respondents report the amount of stress in their life to be high, and in

fact considerably higher than that of the benchmark groups.

For RIL survey respondents, work is the main source of stress in their life, mostly due to heavy workloads. About two thirds of respondents take work stress home with them and just one third are able to balance their work with their family or personal life.

Close to one third say most days at work are ‘quite a bit stressful’ or ‘extremely stressful’.

RIL survey respondents’ daily experience of stress is similar to other educational professionals and the employed population in Canada.

While most RIL survey respondents do not experience burnout on a regular basis, one in five feels burned out on a weekly or daily basis.

Respondents with high burnout have worse self-reported health, life satisfaction and stress, compared with their peers who do not experience burnout symptoms.

Absenteeism and Presenteeism

Presenteeism (days worked despite an illness or injury because one felt one had to) is more common that absenteeism (days away from work because of one’s own illness or injury).

Survey respondents feel that they are unable to take the time off work they need to look after their health.

Psychologically Healthy Workplaces

Four dimensions of psychologically healthy workplaces stand out as strengths: civility and respect, growth and development, involvement and influence, and engagement.

However, six workplace factors pose risks to the psychological health of survey respondents: social support, expectations, job demands, recognition, workload management and work-life balance.

Addressing these six factors would be a useful first step in building psychologically healthy workplaces in Alberta’s education sector.

Human Resource Risks

Almost half of the survey respondents plan to retire in the next five years, which is understandable given that so many are over age 55.

The impending departure of experienced leaders is a significant succession planning challenge for school jurisdictions.

Twelve percent of survey respondents plan to look for a new employer in the next 12 months. New employers may or may not be within the Alberta education sector. Low levels of engagement and high job stress are associated with looking for another job.


Actions to Improve Well-being and Leadership The top priority action identified in the post-survey consultations with CASS members was for

CASS to work with school boards, ASBA and other education stakeholders to address the study’s findings.

Consultations also identified other actions CASS could take, including support for leadership development, succession planning, supporting and encouraging its members’ health and wellness, and learning what other organizations are doing to improve leadership and well-being.

CASS members who were consulted recommended that ASEBP review, redesign or expand its benefits plans to proactively address the issues raised by the RIL survey results.

Other recommended actions for ASEBP include: expanding physical health benefits and resources, such as fitness programs; improved communication with CASS members about available resources to promote wellness; providing mental health resources and benefits; and generally putting more emphasis on health and wellness promotion/prevention.

CASS members also identified a variety of actions they plan to take to promote mental health and achieve healthier lifestyles and personal wellness goals. Some CASS members also intend to discuss Phase 1 findings with their senior administration and Board of Trustees.


Introduction The Resilience in Leadership (RIL) Project is an innovative collaboration between the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) and the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP). Senior educational leaders today face heightened risks to their well-being given the complex demands of their role in a rapidly changing educational system. In January 2015, the Letter of Understanding was signed, and the Project Steering Committee was formed. The three members of the Project Steering Committee are Barry Litun, Executive Director of CASS; Jennifer Carson, CEO of ASEBP; and Kelli Littlechilds, COO of ASEBP. The Steering Committee works closely with the Board of Directors of CASS and Trustees of ASEBP, as well as the Leadership Teams and RIL Project Teams of both CASS and ASEBP. The Project’s focus on resilience is based on research showing that successful leaders thrive in the face of adversity. Resilient leaders also feel confident, optimistic and hopeful about the future. As well, resilient leaders support other employees to succeed. These traits contribute to leaders’ overall well-being and a more sustainable education system. The RIL Project has two phases:

Phase 1, conducted in 2015, involved an expert-designed survey of active CASS members, an

analysis of a relevant sub-set of ASEBP claims data, and extensive post-survey consultations with

active CASS members to identify follow-up priorities for both of the collaborating organizations.

Phase 2, launched in 2016, uses Phase 1 results to guide follow-up actions by CASS and ASEBP,

and in collaboration with other educational partners.

This report summarizes Phase 1 findings, providing a basis for constructive discussions with stakeholders about the changes needed to nurture the well-being and leadership capabilities of the workforce required for a successful K-12 educational system. The RIL Project was designed and conducted by the Project Steering Committee, with the assistance of an independent expert (this report’s author). The Board of Directors of CASS and Trustees of ASEBP reviewed and approved each step in Phase 1, as well as all subsequent communications. The Project Steering Committee launched Phase 2 in January 2016. Sharing this report is a critical first step. The report recommends school jurisdictions and their Boards, the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) and Alberta Education take a collaborative, evidence-based approach to improving well-being, resilience and leadership within the province’s educational system.

Resilience: What It Means for Leaders and Organizations Decades ago, psychologists studied the sources of personal resilience among children who overcame significant disadvantages to succeed in school and life. Now, the concept of resilience is applied to leaders and organizations. The Harvard Business Review calls resilience the new leadership skill.1 In 2008 and 2009, the global financial crisis and Great Recession highlighted the need for greater resilience


within the workforce. Today in Alberta, the impact of plummeting oil prices on many businesses has amplified this need. Resilient people don’t bounce back. Rather, they bounce forward to find new strength and equilibrium as they work their way through challenges. They move to a new normal that enables them to progress toward a better future by finding opportunities and renewed energy. Resilient leaders proactively respond to stressors, learning from failure, develop renewed strengths and show others how it is possible to thrive in the face of adversity. A leader’s capacity to be resilient is closely associated with a transformational (as opposed to a transactional) leadership style, higher work engagement and positive well-being. By incorporating it into leadership training, resilience can be learned. Resilience is a 21st century organizational survival skill and, as such, must be viewed as an essential component of leadership development in any industry. Resilient leaders can:

View the future with confidence and optimism.

Respond effectively to work pressures and help others do the same.

Look after their physical and psychological health.

Be aware of how their actions and decisions impact others.

Show empathy for how others are struggling with change.

Learn from failures and see these as a source of new strengths.

Support others to thrive as they grapple with challenges in their jobs and lives.

A Model of Resilience in Leadership

The RIL Project was informed by research on resilience, well-being and organizational performance. Project partners also brought a wealth of practical experience to the table. ASEBP knew that individuals flourished in environments that supported their well-being. One of ASEBP’s goals is a more proactive approach to promoting total well-being among its covered members. This aligns with CASS’s goals of leadership development and supporting its members’ health and wellness.

Guided by relevant research, the RIL Project Steering Committee worked with the author of this report to design a survey that would identify opportunities for improving educational leaders’ well-being and career success. Figure 1 outlines the thinking that guided survey development.


The RIL Project Steering Committee drew on extensive workplace and organizational research to identify relevant work environment, job and organizational factors known to impact individuals’ well-being and organizational performance. These same factors also contribute to resilience and leadership behaviours. Examples include working relationships, role clarity, job resources, training and professional development, job autonomy, job demands and work hours. Reflecting the latest research, the Project Steering Committee decided to measure resilience as a component of the broader concept of psychological capital (PsyCap). PsyCap is characterized by four personal attributes: efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience. When combined, these traits are robust predictors of well-being, job satisfaction and job performance. PsyCap is related to a range of organizational outcomes critical to a successful educational system. These include absenteeism, turnover, job satisfaction, a transformational style of leadership and higher work engagement. 2 Conceptually, PsyCap is similar to what educational experts Hargreaves and Fullan call professional capital. 3 Teachers and educational leaders who possess strong professional capital (talent, collaboration and judgement) are transformational leaders, able to improve school performance.


Transformational leaders contribute to their organization’s success by encouraging colleagues to see challenges in new ways. They motivate others to excel, are admired and trusted, stimulate creativity, and act as a coach or mentor. Transformational leaders go beyond transactional or goal-oriented leadership by enabling individuals to achieve their potential, find innovative solutions to challenges and embrace change. 4 The RIL survey measured PsyCap using eight items from a validated measurement tool.5 It also included 10 items measuring transformational leadership (TL) from a validated leadership assessment tool.6 The RIL model predicts that TL behaviours and PsyCap will have positive individual and organizational outcomes. The RIL survey measured self-reported physical and mental health, job stress and burnout, engagement, absenteeism and presenteeism, and retention. By achieving positive outcomes in these areas, Alberta’s school system becomes more humanly sustainable.

Resilience in Leadership Survey Methodology

Guided by the RIL model in Figure 1, the Project Steering Committee identified 12 survey themes relevant to the Project’s objectives:

1. Job and career 2. Working relationships 3. Work time 4. Overall physical and mental health 5. Stress and burnout 6. Use of health and wellness resources 7. Leadership 8. Resilience and psychological capital 9. Engagement 10. Career plans 11. Demographics 12. Suggestions for enhancing well-being and leadership

A survey was developed by an independent expert (the author of this report) to address these themes. It was reviewed by the Project Steering Committee and CASS Board of Directors, and tested in advance by some ASEBP employees and CASS members. The final survey included 104 forced-choice questions and three open-ended questions. Key health and well-being measures were benchmarked using Statistics Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey. The RIL survey was online from March 17 to April 13, 2015. An email from the CASS Executive Director invited all 361 active CASS members to participate and provided a link to the survey. Participants were assured complete confidentiality and anonymity. A total of 249 active CASS members2 completed the survey. This response rate of 69 per cent is above average for a workplace survey.

2 Retired CASS members were not included in this survey.


Demographically, the largest group of respondents are age 55 or older (37 per cent), and the gender split is 56 per cent male and 44 per cent female3. Most (58 per cent) have been in their current position five years or fewer, most (55 per cent) work in mainly rural school jurisdictions and most (70 per cent) report to a superintendent.

Key Survey Findings This section summarizes key survey findings for each component of the Resilience in Leadership Model in Figure 1.

Job Conditions

Survey respondents’ jobs have the essential features required for health and productivity. Over 95 per cent feel very committed to their job, derive a sense of accomplishment from it and have ample opportunity to continue learning. These rates are considerably higher than the workforce as a whole.7 Furthermore, more than eight in 10 respondents have clear job role expectations, good career advancement opportunities and access to the information needed to do their job. Respondents also gave positive assessments for two important moderators of job stress: influence on decisions and autonomy. However, these particular job features do not give respondents all the resources they need to address the considerable stressors they face in their jobs. Survey respondents also experience considerable work pressures. Many respondents experience their job as ‘very hectic’ and face conflicting demands from others. Barely one in four has enough time to complete all their work. Not surprisingly, long work hours are typical among survey respondents. Close to 40 per cent have work weeks of 60 hours or more. To keep up with work demands, almost all respondents take work home with them.

Work Environment

Developing and maintaining effective relationships is outlined in Leadership Dimension 5 of the CASS Practice Standard: “The CASS member provides exemplary leadership by building trust and effective relationships with the school system community.” The school community refers to the Board of Trustees, system leadership team, staff members, parents/guardians, students, community members, Alberta Education and other education partners.

As an extension of the above leadership dimension, good working relationships are crucial for a healthy and productive work environment. For educational leaders, professional and respectful relationships with other members of the system leadership team and the Board of Trustees are critically important aspects of a work environment that would be viewed as healthy and productive. Survey results confirm leadership teams led by superintendents are respectful, supportive and inclusive. At least 80 per cent of respondents agree or strongly agree that team members treat each other with respect, work together and help each other out, and that people from diverse backgrounds feel

3 Respondents reflect the demographics of the active CASS membership.


welcome. Three quarters of respondents consider communication to be open and honest. Team effectiveness depends on these qualities. Four out of five respondents have positive working relationships with their Board of Trustees and are treated respectfully by trustees. Slightly fewer feel that their Board of Trustees values their contributions and acts on senior management’s feedback. The survey results also highlight the need for Boards of Trustees to provide educational leaders with more clearly articulated communications about the Boards’ goals. Two thirds of respondents report to a superintendent, which accurately reflects the total active CASS membership. These same respondents feel that their superintendent treats them respectfully and fairly.

Organizational Resources

The RIL survey also asked respondents about specific organizational resources that support their job performance and well-being.

Professional Development

About 70 per cent of respondents receive the training needed to do their jobs effectively. Survey respondents who report to a superintendent mostly agree that this individual supports their professional development. However, there is room for improvement when it comes to superintendents providing constructive feedback and supporting work-life balance.

Promoting Health and Wellness

Fewer than three out of five respondents agree that their school jurisdiction promotes the health and wellness of its employees. Two out of three rate their workplace as ‘psychologically healthy’. Heavy work demands affect this overall experience of psychological health. Only a quarter of respondents agree that their team has enough staff to handle the workload, which contributes to feeling that their job is hectic. The survey also asked about health and wellness resources currently available (see Figure 2). There is limited use of eight of the 12 health and wellness resources listed in Figure 2. The most widely used health and wellness resources are paramedical services (such as chiropractic treatment, physiotherapy or massage therapy), online health and wellness information, and fitness facilities or gyms. However fitness facilities are not available to about one-third of respondents. The survey does indicate that these facilities would be used if available – an important finding given that exercise can contribute to improved physical and mental health. In light of the stressful working conditions experienced by many survey respondents, it is relevant that one in four report that mental health education sessions either are not available or that they are not aware of their availability.


Taking Time Off

Taking vacations and holidays is a health-promoting behaviour that can be encouraged by organizations. In the 12 months prior to the survey, about one in five respondents took all their vacation days, and one in three took all their statutory holidays. These findings suggest that CASS members may not be getting adequate time off to recharge from their busy jobs. However, more information is needed. For example, the survey did not ask about annual vacation entitlement, which for some CASS members would be six to eight weeks.

Psychological Capital and Transformational Leadership

This section reviews key findings for psychological capital (PsyCap) and transformational leadership (TL) behaviours, setting the stage for understanding how these capabilities influence individual well-being and organizational performance.

Psychological Capital

Survey respondents have well-developed PsyCap. Indeed, five of the eight PsyCap measures have positive scores above 90 per cent (see Figure 3). Respondents have considerable confidence and self-efficacy, as well as an optimistic outlook. Dealing with work stress is the least-developed aspect of PsyCap, yet, about 80 per cent of respondents are quite resilient.

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Figure 2: Use of health and wellness resources provided by school jurisdiction or benefit plan in past 12 months

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PsyCap is a strong predictor of other individual and organizational outcomes.8 The RIL survey findings are consistent with this academic research. Scores on the PsyCap scale have a significant and positive relationship with respondents’ health, well-being and stress levels. Respondents who feel optimistic, confident, resilient and hopeful are far more likely to report very good or excellent general and mental health and high life satisfaction than respondents with low PsyCap. They also experience less stress and report fewer symptoms of burnout.

Transformational Leadership

Survey respondents selectively practice TL. Only a few TL behaviours are followed frequently or always by 70 per cent or more of respondents (see Figure 4). These include ethical decision-making and putting the good of the group before self-interest. About 60 per cent of respondents frequently specify the importance of a strong sense of purpose or seek differing perspectives when solving problems. Between 45 per cent and 55 per cent of respondents frequently display four features of a TL style. These include building respect from others, helping others develop their strengths, encouraging others to look at problems from different angles and expressing confidence that goals are achievable. Two other TL behaviours are less frequent: articulating a compelling vision of the future and teaching or coaching others.

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Figure 3: Psychological capital


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I specify the importance of having a strong sense of purpose

I go beyond self-interest for the good of the group

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Figure 4: Transformational leadership behaviours

Individual Well-being

This section reviews RIL survey findings on a range of individual well-being indicators.

Satisfaction and Engagement

Job satisfaction and work engagement are basic ingredients of a decent quality of work-life. Feeling satisfied and engaged at work has a big influence on an individual’s well-being. Overall, CASS members responding to the survey have high levels of job satisfaction. They also feel inspired to achieve their best job performance and are highly engaged in their work. PsyCap is closely related to engagement. Over half of respondents with high PsyCap are also highly engaged, compared with less than one in 10 among those who report having low PsyCap. Given that engaged workers are more productive and make greater contributions to an organization’s goals, strengthening the PsyCap of educational leaders will benefit Alberta’s education system as a whole.

Self-reported Health

The RIL survey assesses the overall health status of survey respondents, using self-reported measures from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). The CCHS provides three benchmark groups for comparing RIL survey respondents: other education professionals in Canada, management occupations in Canada and all employed Canadians.9


RIL survey respondents rate their general health somewhat below the benchmark groups. Survey respondents are more likely than the benchmark groups to perceive their health to be good, fair or poor, rather than excellent. Respondents also gave somewhat lower ratings of their mental health than the benchmark groups. One in five RIL survey respondents improved their overall health during the previous year, similar to the benchmark groups. However, a slightly larger proportion of respondents (compared with the benchmark groups) experienced declining health status during the same time. As a complement to the RIL survey, Phase 1 of the RIL Project also included an analysis of ASEBP health claims data for an anonymous sub-group of ASEBP covered members.10 Two findings have implications for the future well-being of Alberta’s educational leaders. First, while the incidence of depression is relatively low, it is increasing. Second, the prevalence of age-related chronic conditions (e.g., high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stomach hyperacidity and diabetes) can be influenced by psychological

stress, suggesting that less job stress could reduce future health risks. 11

Stress and Burnout

Close to half of RIL survey respondents describe the amount of stress in their life as ‘quite a bit stressful’ or ‘extremely stressful’. This is considerably higher than the benchmark groups. For RIL survey respondents, work is the main source of stress in their life, mostly due to heavy workloads. About two thirds of respondents take work stress home with them, and just one third are able to balance their work with their family or personal life. Respondents frequently experience job stress. Close to one third say most days at work are ‘quite a bit stressful’ or ‘extremely stressful’, while just over half say that most days are ‘a bit stressful’. RIL survey respondents’ daily experience of stress is similar to other educational professionals and the employee population in Canada. Interestingly, compared with management occupations in Canada, fewer RIL survey respondents report high daily stress. One possible explanation is that CASS members are experienced leaders who have developed ways to cope with daily work pressures. In short, it reflects their resilience. The RIL survey also measured burnout, which describes symptoms of highly stressful work experienced by human service professionals. Some experts view burnout as the opposite of being engaged in one’s work.12 The RIL questionnaire included eight items from an educator-specific version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).13 The MBI measures three aspects of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. While most RIL survey respondents do not experience burnout on a regular basis, it is important to note that one in five feels burned out on a weekly or daily basis. About two in five regularly feel emotionally drained from their work or that they are working too hard. The experience of burnout symptoms on a weekly or daily basis means that an individual is regularly exposed to stressful working conditions. This is evidenced in some negative consequences; respondents with high burnout have worse self-reported health, life satisfaction and stress, compared with their peers who do not experience burnout symptoms.


Absenteeism and Presenteeism

Absenteeism is a widely used indicator of a healthy workforce and it can be costly to organizations in terms of lost productivity. However, presenteeism is a bigger and more costly problem than absenteeism.14 The RIL survey found that presenteeism (days worked despite an illness or injury because one felt one had to) is more common that absenteeism (days away from work because of one’s own illness or injury). About seven in 10 respondents had been absent from work in the 12 months prior to the survey due to illness or injury. RIL survey respondents’ work absence rate is below the education sector average for Canada.15 However, eight in 10 respondents had incidences of presenteeism in the same period (there is no national benchmark for presenteeism).

Survey respondents feel they are unable to take the time off work they need to look after their health. Respondents who are under a lot of pressure in their jobs, and are experiencing burnout as a result, feel compelled to go into their workplace, even if their health status warrants time away from work for recovery.

Organizational Performance

The RIL survey also looked at other links between survey respondents’ well-being and the performance of school systems.

Determinants of Organizational Success

To understand these links, it helps to view the RIL survey findings from the perspective of the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), in partnership with the Canadian Standards Association, developed the Standard. It identifies workplace factors that enable psychological health and safety, which in turn contribute to sustainable organizational success.16 The Standard provides tools for identifying and reducing psychological health risks in the workplace.17 The MHCC also emphasizes the need to eliminate the stigma attached to mental health, which makes it difficult for workers who experience mental health problems to seek or receive treatment. For Alberta’s educational leaders, a step towards eliminating the stigma would be more open discussion of the sources of stress and work-life imbalance identified in this survey.

Psychologically Healthy Workplaces

According to the RIL survey, four dimensions of psychologically healthy workplaces identified by the Standard stand out as strengths for Alberta’s educational leaders: civility and respect, growth and development, involvement and influence, and engagement. However, the survey also identifies six workplace factors that pose risks to the psychological health of these leaders: social support, expectations, job demands, recognition, workload management and work-life balance. Addressing these six factors would be a useful first step in building psychologically healthy workplaces in Alberta’s education sector.


Human Resource Risks

The RIL survey asked about career plans that have a direct impact on school jurisdictions: plans to retire and plans to look for another job. Almost half of the survey respondents plan to retire in the next five years, which is understandable given that so many are over age 55. The impending departure of experienced leaders is a significant succession planning challenge for school jurisdictions. Adding to this challenge, two of the groups that Alberta’s educational system will need to draw on for its future senior leaders – women and those under the age of 45 – are experiencing high levels of stress and burnout, which may discourage them from taking on greater responsibilities. Compounding this problem is the fact that 12 per cent of survey respondents plan to look for a new employer in the next 12 months. New employers may or may not be within the Alberta education sector. Most of those at risk of quitting are ages 45 to 54, the demographic group that will most likely provide future superintendents. Respondents with low levels of engagement and high job stress are at greatest risk of leaving for another employer. Clearly, these issues must be addressed as part of succession planning.

Actions to Improve Well-being and Leadership The RIL Project is committed to using evidence for action. Phase 1 results are intended to guide the improvement of well-being and leadership capabilities in Phase 2. As part of the RIL survey, respondents were asked for suggestions regarding, “how CASS and ASEBP can support your well-being and leadership goals in your role as a system leader.” The most frequently mentioned actions were expanded CASS support for leadership and professional development, and support for mental-health related issues, particularly stress and work-life balance. These suggestions echoed the central themes of the RIL Project: improving mental well-being and leadership development. Post-survey, The Resilience in Leadership Survey Report was made available to CASS members on the CASS website. CASS then conducted a series of consultations with its members to obtain their suggestions for Phase 2 of the Project. CASS used its scheduled zone meetings and 2015 Summer Conference to review the study’s findings and seek input from members. CASS convened 43 discussion groups with 221 members participating. Another nine members at the Zone 1 meeting provided individual input. In total, 61 per cent of 361 active CASS members provided input during these consultations. CASS members unable to attend these events were invited to contribute input via email.

The top priority action identified in the consultations was for CASS to work with school boards, ASBA and other education stakeholders to address RIL survey findings. As a start, it will be essential to communicate survey findings and raise awareness about the importance of issues documented by the survey. This report is intended to facilitate these wider discussions and action planning with other education stakeholders. The consultations also identified other actions CASS could take, including support for leadership development, succession planning, supporting and encouraging its members’ health and wellness, and learning what other organizations are doing to improve leadership and well-being.


The CASS members consulted recommended that ASEBP review, redesign or expand its benefits plans to proactively address the issues raised by the RIL survey results. ASEBP is currently planning to review, revise or expand its benefits offerings, particularly those focusing on mental health promotion. This process will actively involve CASS and other education sector partners. Other recommended actions by ASEBP include expanding physical health benefits and resources, such as fitness programs; improved communication with CASS members about available resources and to promote wellness; providing mental health resources and benefits; and generally putting more emphasis on health and wellness promotion/prevention. CASS members recognize that achieving well-being and leadership goals is a shared responsibility. To this end, the consulted members identified a variety of actions they plan to take to promote mental health, and achieve healthier lifestyles and personal wellness goals. These actions range from healthy eating and exercise, greater attention to mental well-being, disconnecting from technology and taking wellness days away from work. In their roles as leaders, some CASS members also intend to discuss Phase 1 findings with their senior administration and Board of Trustees. This report and the accompanying PowerPoint summary will enable these discussions. Some CASS members are also planning initiatives within their school jurisdictions, including asking ASEBP to do employee health clinics, gathering data on workforce health and wellness, adding a health component to jurisdiction PD, and capacity-building to address key findings in the study.

Conclusion The RIL Project is an innovative collaboration between CASS and ASEBP. Results from the RIL survey confirm that resilience and leadership are interrelated, and in turn influence educational leaders’ well-being and school system performance. We know that resilience involves psychological traits and personal behaviours that can be learned – a crucial insight for enhancing leadership development. The survey also identifies opportunities to improve the well-being of educational leaders by addressing specific working conditions and organizational supports. The overriding goal is to engage education stakeholders in a search for effective solutions. The suggestions made by CASS members point the way to a more sustainable educational system for Alberta.


Endnotes

1 Kanter, R.M. (17 July 2013). Surprises are the new normal; Resilience is the new skill.

Harvard Business Review. 2 Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M. & Avolio, B. J. Psychological Capital (Oxford University Press,

2007). 3 Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every

School. New York: Teachers College Press. 4 See for example: Geijsel, F., Sleegers, P., Leithwood, K., & Jantzi, D. (2003). Transformational

leadership effects on teachers' commitment and effort toward school reform. Journal of

Educational Administration, 41, 228-256; Onorato, M. (2013). Transformational leadership style

in the educational sector: An empirical study of corporate managers and educational leaders.

Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 17, 33-47. 5 Luthans, Avolio and Avery, Psychological Capital Questionnaire-12 was used with the

permission of Mind Garden Inc. http://www.mindgarden.com/products/pcq.htm 6 The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used with the permission of Mind Garden Inc. http://www.mindgarden.com/products/mlqr.htm#mlq3605x 7 Based on the EKOS Research Associates – Graham Lowe Group 2012 Rethinking Work survey

of a representative sample of the Canadian workforce (n=1900). 8 Peterson, S. J., Walumbwa, F. O., Byron, K., & Myrowitz, J. (2009). CEO Positive

Psychological Traits, Transformational Leadership, and Firm Performance in High-Technology

Start-up and Established Firms. Journal of Management, 35, 348-368; Avey, J. B., Reichard, R.

J., Luthans, F., & Mhatre, K. H. (2011). Meta-analysis of the impact of positive psychological

capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development

Quarterly, 22, 127-152. 9 The CCHS data used as benchmarks in this report were obtained from Statistics Canada as

custom tabulations. 10 This sub-group of 172 ASEBP covered members was selected based on incomes of $150,000

or higher. Group selection was not based on CASS membership. The analysis ensured

confidentiality and anonymity. 11 See for example: Backé, E., Seidler, A., Latza, U., Rossnagel, K., & Schumann, B. (2012).

The role of psychosocial stress at work for the development of cardiovascular diseases: a

systematic review. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 85 (1),

67-79; Djindjic, N., Jovanovic, J., Djindjic, B., Jovanovic, M., & Jovanovic, J. J. (2012).

Associations between the occupational stress index and hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus,

and lipid disorders in middle-aged men and women. The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 56,

1051-1062. 12 See: Schaufeli, W. B. & Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C., (2009). Burnout: 35 years of research

and practice. Career Development International 14, (3), 204-220. 13 Used with permission of Mind Garden Inc.

http://www.mindgarden.com/products/mbi.htm#data 14 See: Hemp, P. (2004). Presenteeism: At work – but out of it.” Harvard Business Review,

October, 49-58; Schultz, A. and Edington, D. (2007). Employee health and presenteeism: A

systematic review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 17, 547-579.; Goetzel, R.Z., Long,

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S.R., Ozminkowski, R.J., Hawkins, K., Wang, S. & Lynch, W. (2004). Health, absence,

disability, and presenteeism cost estimates of certain physical and mental health conditions

affecting U.S. employers. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 46(4):398–412. 15 Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey reports that absenteeism averaged 10.2 days in 2014

in the broad education sector (all K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions), compared

with the total workforce average of 6.9 days). 16 Canadian Standards Association. (2013). National Standard of Canada for Psychological

Health and Safety in the Workplace, http://shop.csa.ca/en/canada/occupational-health-and-safety-management/cancsa-z1003-13bnq-9700-8032013/invt/z10032013/?utm_source=redirect&utm_medium=vanity&utm_content=folder&utm_campaign=z1003 17 Guarding Minds @ Work. (2012). A Workplace Guide to Psychological Health and Safety,

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