The Link Between The Wellbeing Of Teachers And Quiet Quitting

In the field of education, the wellbeing of teachers plays a vital role in creating an environment conducive to effective learning. In fact, it's a fundamental aspect of the educational ecosystem that demands careful attention and nurturing. As a former teacher and mother of three children, I place the humble educator’s wellbeing as a top priority for the future of Australia and all first-world countries.  

If you think this is a long stretch, please ask yourself who our children spend most of their day with. Who educates them, mentors them and on an unconscious level, influences them on many aspects of life?

Unfortunately, in today's schools, teacher wellbeing is often a low priority, which can directly lead to educators becoming burnt out and disengaged.

In fact, nearly half of Australia's working teachers say they are overworked and underappreciated. And the same number of educators in the US are thinking about leaving the profession early.

So, it should be no surprise to hear that schools are now struggling to keep teachers from "quietly quitting" in an environment already challenged by a shortage of qualified teachers.

This link between teacher wellbeing (or lack thereof) and quiet quitting is what we will explore today, including:

• Understanding quiet quitting
• The correlation between teacher wellbeing and quiet quitting
• And what can be done to improve the wellbeing of teachers and reduce the incidence of quiet quitting

Ready to dive in? Let's do it.

What Is Quiet Quitting?

In order to effectively address this issue, it's important to understand what quiet quitting is, so here's a simple definition.

"Quiet quitting" is the process whereby employees lose motivation and become disengaged from their workplace. It's a form of attrition where employees, in this case, teachers, stay in their jobs. But they lack enthusiasm for their work, leading to lower performance and an overall apathetic attitude. This has been identified as one of the leading causes of staff turnover in schools.

And the impact of this phenomenon has wide-reaching repercussions on the education system. When teachers are disengaged:

• Learning outcomes for students are reduced
• A culture of low morale is perpetuated
• Student engagement and participation decline
• The overall quality of education suffers
• Work is increased for remaining engaged teachers
• The school's reputation can be damaged
• The development of innovative teaching strategies is hindered
• School-community relationships may deteriorate

And much more. All of these factors take an immense toll on the overall health and effectiveness of schools.

The Correlation Between Teacher Wellbeing and Quiet Quitting

Now that you know what quiet quitting is all about, let's discuss how and why it's happening among educators.

Research has revealed that there is an undeniable link between teacher wellbeing and the prevalence of quiet quitting. In fact, studies have found that teachers who feel supported physically, psychologically and emotionally by their schools are less likely to leave their jobs prematurely or become disengaged in their work.

At the same time, teachers who feel unsupported or underappreciated by their school community are more likely to be in a state of burnout, and thus, at risk for quiet quitting.

The reasons here are simple: when teachers feel their wellbeing is supported and valued, they remain engaged with their work and become emotionally invested in their students' success. In turn, the school reaps the benefits of having a team of motivated educators.

Strategies To Improve The Wellbeing Of Teachers

A thriving and content teacher not only fosters a better learning experience for students but also contributes to the overall health of the institution they represent.

So, what can schools do to ensure the wellbeing of their teachers?

There are actually many ways to improve the work/life balance of educators, such as:

• Promote work-life balance by offering flexible hours and vacation days.
• Support teachers in their professional development with adequate training, resources, and mentorship.
• Create an environment where failure is seen as an opportunity for growth and not shamed.
• Invest in meaningful recognition initiatives like staff appreciation days or awards.
• Offer mental health services such as counselling, stress management workshops, and mindfulness, sleep and nutrition education. And so on.

All of these may require a significant investment of money, time and resources on the part of school administrations.

The good news is that there's one simple and cost-effective strategy you can employ to begin improving the wellbeing of your teachers right now.

The Power Of Nutrition And Healthy Lifestyle

Encouraging a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and providing nutrition education can have a profound impact on the wellbeing of your teaching staff.

Studies have shown that regular physical activity reduces stress levels and increases energy as well as improves concentration and focus while also boosting overall mood. As well, good nutritional choices directly impact mental and physical wellbeing.

And when a school provides the resources needed to help teachers easily take control of their health, they feel supported and valued at the same time.

All of these ingredients add up to healthy and energetic teachers who are much more likely to remain engaged and motivated to perform well at work.

No more quiet quitting.

The Science Of Workplace Wellbeing Workshops

You might wonder how you can do this. Won't it be expensive and time-consuming?

In fact, my Workplace Wellbeing workshops are specifically designed to be easy and cost-effective for the employer to deploy while remaining simple, impactful and convenient for the employee.

You see, before I became a health educator, I too struggled with stress, overwhelm, fatigue, anxiety, sleep deprivation and all the things that lead to becoming disengaged from work.

Now I know just how powerful a few simple, realistic lifestyle changes (nothing too drastic!) can be in transforming an exhausted, burnt-out employee into an alert, productive and motivated one.

That's exactly why I created these workshops. Sharing leading-edge research in an educational yet entertaining way to show people how to:

• Gain energy and consistently good sleep
• Improve alertness and mental clarity
• Improve memory and learning on a day-to-day basis
• Reduce risk factors for burnout and exhaustion

And perform better and FEEL better every day.

You can offer one, two or all three of the different workshops (Mental Resilience & Energy, Burnout & Productivity, and Mental Health & Brain Performance). Each workshop can be completed at the user's schedule and pace. And they even earn CPD/CE points for each workshop.

Improve Teacher Wellbeing At Your School Today

As you can see, it's absolutely vital for schools to take proactive steps to ensure the wellbeing of their teaching staff.

By investing in initiatives that help teachers manage stress and create a healthy work-life balance, your school will benefit from having a committed team of educators who are passionate about learning and eager to contribute to the success of their students.

And you can start right now by offering Workplace Wellbeing Workshops to your staff.

They'll learn key lifestyle habits that can significantly improve their health and wellbeing, leading to a more productive and positive work experience.

It's the best way to ensure your teachers feel supported, valued and empowered - which in turn will help keep them engaged at work and reduce the risk of quiet quitting.

Visit this page for all the details on the Workplace Wellbeing Workshops.