The Hidden Reason Wellbeing Initiatives Don’t Always Stick

When we talk about workplace wellbeing in education, the focus often lands on workload, resilience, or the need to switch off.These are real challenges — and the data backs it up.

One in three new teachers leave the profession within five years, and around half of school leaders report feeling frequently burnt out.

Improving staff wellbeing isn’t just a nice idea — it’s essential if schools are to thrive.But what if part of the problem lies in how we’re trying to make these improvements?

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Wellbeing Work Is Change Work

Over the past few years, schools have been asked to adapt more than ever — new frameworks, new priorities, new expectations — often all at once.

Each initiative, however well-intentioned, represents a form of change.

And even positive change can add pressure when people don’t have the time, energy, or clarity to process it.

So when we talk about wellbeing in schools, are we overlooking the impact of change itself — and what we already know about how people experience it?

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Different Perspectives, Different Experiences

Change brings uncertainty and opportunity — but it also means different things to different people.

For example, a leader introducing a new initiative will see that change differently from those on the frontline asked to put it into practice.That difference in perception really matters: it shapes how people respond, whether they feel part of the process, and how sustainable the change will be.

Organisational Psychologists Paton and McCalman (2000) suggest that before we jump into solutions, we should pause and think carefully about the nature of the change we’re trying to create.

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Why Wellbeing Can’t Be “Ticked Off”

That matters because wellbeing can’t always be measured like other outcomes.We can’t set a target, track a few data points, and call it done.

Wellbeing depends on interpretation, habits, and culture.It relies on shared understanding and consistency over time.It doesn’t fit neatly into a termly action plan or show quick wins — and maybe that’s one reason why we sometimes avoid it.

If we can’t easily measure it, it’s harder to show impact — and harder to prioritise.

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Boundaries as a Case in Point

Take boundaries, for example.We can talk about protecting our time or switching off, but actually doing it means changing habits, building shared understanding, and rethinking how we work together.

You can’t set a start and finish time to that kind of change — and you can’t tick it off a list.

That’s why it helps to understand the nature of the change first.It helps us decide whether what’s needed is a new structure or policy — or whether what’s really needed is reflection, conversation, and time.

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Where Sustainable Wellbeing Begins

Because wellbeing work is change work.It asks people to think differently, behave differently, and work differently — and that takes time and trust.

Perhaps that’s the hidden reason so many wellbeing initiatives in schools don’t always stick:they’re treated as stand-alone projects, not as ongoing processes of organisational change.

To create sustainable wellbeing initiatives, we need to recognise and manage wellbeing as change work.Embedding this thinking can strengthen any wellbeing strategy for schools and help leaders turn good intentions into lasting impact.

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About the Author

Karen Forshaw is an Organisational Psychologist (MSc) and former Headteacher who helps school leaders and trusts translate wellbeing research into practical, sustainable strategies that improve performance and culture.

👉 If your school or trust is revisiting its wellbeing strategy, get in touch at karen@humanedgeperformance.com to explore how HumanEdge Performance can help.