Training teachers for the long haul: the importance of wellbeing.

Mary Turner 3-5-13

Staff who suffer stress and burnout

• Are conscientious and value driven• Have too little autonomy and control• Hold values at odds with their manager

or organisation• Give up things they like to do outside

work to cope with workload

ITT PCET – the context• High pressure and excessive workloads - most

teachers regard their work as stressful• Constant change – organisational change;

curriculum change; contractual change (more for less)

• Increased workplace insecurity• Audit culture – e-paperwork central to

evidencing compliance • The culture of constant improvement (100% +)• Bullying management styles

The science of happiness and wellbeing‘Wellbeing’ is a state of mental fitness where positive emotions build resilience to setbacks, and enable individuals to achieve their potential, and to ‘flourish’ in their lives.

‘The mission of positive psychology is to understand and foster the factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to flourish’(Seligman & Csikszentmahalyi, 2000).

It has been found that positive emotions help us bounce back from life’s setbacks.

Findings of positive psychology• Happiness levels are not fixed• Happier people are more successful (not vice

versa)• Happier people are healthier • Happier people are more productive at work• Happier people are more creative

5 ways to wellbeing (NEF 2008)• connect, be active, take notice, keep

learning, give.

Positive psychology and the workplace• Positive emotions build resilience to

stress• Losada ratio 3:1 pos:neg interactions

for successful teams• 3 elements for job satisfaction:

autonomy, mastery and purpose• ‘Flow' (or complete absorption) for

'engagement' at work

Positive psychology and the workplace

• Bad jobs make people ill • Lack of control damages health and leads to

heart disease• Disengagement 40% when managers ignore us,

22% when they focus on weakness, and drops to only 1% when they focus on our strengths

• A bad relationship with your boss is worse for you than chips

• Burnout is worse for you than smoking

A better way in the workplace 5 actions for leaders and line managers:•Trust people – give them freedom within guidelines•Help people see why what they do matters•Give regular encouragement, praise and thanks•Help people find and play to their strengths•Encourage a healthy balance between work and life

www.actionforhappiness.org/news/new-year-resolution-to-make-your-workplace-happier (3-1-12)

Training teachers to sustain a long career

Teacher training should include:

•Team working skills and the Losada ratio

•Building resilience through positive emotion

•NEF 5 ways to wellbeing

•Wellbeing strategies: mini-breaks and mindfulness; hobbies that nourish us

•Reframing unavoidable negatives

Future research

• Appraisal systems that ’ broaden and build’• Work environments that support teachers (to

be creative, to experience flow, to use their strengths, to have autonomy)

• Engagement via recrafting – a look at job design• Research into what helps teachers sustain and

how management can best support teachers

ReferencesAchor, S. (2011) The Happiness Advantage. London: Virgin Books.Aked, J. & Thompson, S. (2008) Five Ways to wellbeing. London: NEF.Asberg, M. In Williams, M. & Penman, D. (2011) Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world. London: Piatkus.Csikszentmahalyi, M. (1990) Flow: the psychology of optimal experiences. New York: Harper Row.Dewe P. & Kompier, M. (2008) Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project: Workplace Wellbeing Future Challenges. London: Govt Office for Science.Fisher, A. [online accessed 5-4-13]Your job might be killing you. http://managament.fortune.cnn.com/2013/04/02 Fredrickson, B. (2009) Positivity. Oxford: One World.Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. & Diener, E. (2005) The benefits of frequent positive affect: does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin 131: 803-855.ILM (2013) The pursuit of happiness: positivity and performance among UK managers. London: ILM.Layard, R. (2005) Happiness: Lessons from a new science. London: Penguin.Pink, D. (2009) Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us. London: Canongate.Price, M. (2010) The Lamp of Sacrifice: professional identity and work culture in a college of FE. Doctoral Thesis at University of Exeter.Rath, T. & Harter, J. (2010) Wellbeing: the five essential elements. New York: Gallup.Seligman, M. (2003) Authentic Happiness. London: Nicholas Brealey.Selgman, M. (2011) Flourish. London: Nicholas Brealey.UCU (Feb 2008) ‘Bullying and harassment leaps to the top of the agenda’. Equality News No. 9:1.UCU (Jan 2013) ‘Time to Tackle Excessive Workloads’. UCU FE News 46:1.

www.actionforhappiness.org (UK wellbeing site)www.howaboutwellbeing.info (Mary Turner’s site)

Praise&

thank people

Notice thegood things

Spread the smile

Support and help others