Improving Staff Wellbeing Starts With Reimagining Leadership

It’s not just the length of the to-do list that wears school staff down, it’s the emotional labour that comes with it. In schools, tasks rarely come alone : a child who raises concern, a lesson that needs adapting, a parent to contact, or a colleague who’s struggling. These pressures often go unnoticed, invisible, but they take a toll.

However, workload alone doesn’t explain the rising levels of stress in schools. The broader culture plays a critical role, including how supported staff feel, the psychological safety of the environment, and whether there’s space for reflection, boundaries, and recovery.

This is where leadership becomes key.

Leaders influence not just outcomes, but the day-to-day climate in which staff work. Their behaviours, whether intentional or unconscious, shape how teams experience challenge, connection, and care. In times of high pressure, those signals can be the difference between a culture that drains people and one that sustains them.

And right now, that culture matters more than ever.

The Teacher Wellbeing Index (2024) reports that 50% of education staff feel their institution’s organisational culture negatively affects their mental health and wellbeing.

Stress in schools isn’t just about the individual. In fact, more often than not, it has little to do with the individual. It’s systemic. And that means it’s also preventable.

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What the research tells us

There are many evidence-informed ways to understand and prevent stress in schools, from addressing psychosocial risks to applying models like the Job Demands–Resources framework. One important, and sometimes overlooked, factor is leadership behaviour.

Research by Hancock et al. (2021) shows that leadership patterns have measurable effects on both work-related and personal wellbeing, particularly in emotionally demanding roles. Studies published in The Leadership Quarterly highlight that supportive leadership, psychological safety, and clear boundaries drive performance, trust, and retention.

Leadership behaviours can either protect wellbeing or unintentionally erode it.

School leaders have a unique opportunity to shift the equation, not by doing more, but by leading differently.

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So where can we start?

✔ Check in regularly and listen without judgment. Even brief, informal conversations show staff that their voices matter and their wellbeing is a priority.

✔ Offer consistent, constructive feedback and celebrate the small wins. Recognising effort and involving staff in decisions can boost morale and build a shared sense of purpose.

✔ Use coaching, supervision or peer reflection to spot and resolve issues early. Addressing tension or unhelpful leadership habits with curiosity and openness helps prevent deeper problems down the line.

✔ Be intentional with everyday interactions. Respecting boundaries, showing appreciation, or making fair decisions all send powerful signals that shape how safe and supported people feel, in school and beyond.

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The opportunity ahead

When staff feel safe, supported, and seen, they stay longer, perform better, and bring their best selves to the work. Leadership doesn’t need to have all the answers. But it can model care, clarity, and courage in the small, everyday moments that shape school culture over time. The way we lead might not remove every pressure but it can transform how those pressures are felt, faced, and shared.