The critical role of staff wellbeing in education and retention
One of the most pressing HR challenges in schools today is staff wellbeing in education and its direct impact on staff retention. With retention continuing to challenge schools and trusts nationwide, many leaders are stepping up to pioneer meaningful change in this area.
During a SAAS show seminar titled What Does it Actually Mean to Promote Staff Wellbeing and Why Is It So Important for Retention?, an expert panel shared their perspectives. Speakers included:
- Claire Flintoff, CEO at Asset Education
- Simon Hart, Headteacher at Springwest Academy Hounslow
- Lisa Longstaff, Director of HR Services – North, EPM
- Faizal Musa, Chief People Officer at Dixons Academies Trust
- Jonny Uttley, CEO at The Education Alliance
- Jamie Smith MBE, Director of the Schools Division
Key Themes and initiatives in staff wellbeing in education
The panelists universally acknowledged that more needs to be done to address staff wellbeing in education, but they also highlighted some of the innovative approaches already making a difference within their trusts:
- Reducing workload through technology: Schools are leveraging technology to automate time-intensive tasks like marking and administrative processes, giving teachers more capacity to focus on teaching and personal development.
- Structured incentive programs: Many trusts are implementing clear reward systems, such as recognition schemes, financial incentives, or additional benefits that acknowledge staff contributions.
- Flexible working opportunities: Allowing staff to work flexibly during planning periods or offering hybrid models for non-teaching staff has been a game-changer for work-life balance.
- Career progression and development: Providing defined pathways for growth ensures staff feel supported in their long-term careers, enhancing job satisfaction and loyalty.
The future of staff wellbeing in education
As the spotlight on staff wellbeing in education continues to intensify, we anticipate even greater innovation in this area throughout 2025 and beyond. From embedding wellbeing into trust-wide cultures to scaling successful initiatives, it’s clear that prioritising staff wellbeing in education is not only essential for retention but also for creating schools where both staff and students can thrive.
Balancing budgets and talent to improve HR in schools
Tightening budgets remain a significant challenge for the education sector, and HR in schools plays a crucial role in balancing financial constraints with the need to attract, retain, and develop talent. In a thought-provoking session at the SAAS show, Stephen Mitchell, CEO of Keystone Knowledge, outlined strategies for navigating this delicate balance, offering practical insights to support schools and trusts in building a sustainable and resilient workforce.
Key Strategies for HR Teams
Stephen emphasised that achieving this balance requires HR in schools to adopt a strategic mindset and collaborate closely with senior leadership. Here are some of the session’s key takeaways:
- Data-driven decision making: HR teams must leverage data to inform staffing decisions, budget allocations, and talent strategies.
- Collaborating with leadership: Aligning HR strategies with institutional goals ensures staff wellbeing in education remains a priority.
- Navigating restructuring processes: Transparency and communication are key when restructuring staff, ensuring fairness and sensitivity to staff wellbeing.
- Investing in development despite constraints: Even with limited budgets, professional development is crucial for retention.
Using AI to support staff wellbeing in education
No conversation about the future of education is complete without addressing the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that dominated discussions at the SAAS show. AI is reshaping how educators work, offering tools to reduce workload and helping teachers focus on what they do best: teaching. In turn, this has the potential to have a massive impact on staff wellbeing in education.
AI tools for lesson planning and workload reduction
One of the standout developments was Oak National Academy's Aila, a free-to-use lesson planning assistant. Aila draws on Oak's extensive library of high-quality content to help teachers craft curriculum-aligned lessons in a fraction of the usual time. Similarly, TeacherMatic showcased its ability to create high-quality lesson plans and classroom resources at the click of a button. These tools not only save hours of preparation time but also support teachers in delivering consistent and engaging lessons.
AI’s role in administrative efficiency
AI isn’t just revolutionizing the classroom; it’s transforming back-office operations too. Access Education's Access EVO demonstrates how AI can simplify administrative tasks, freeing up time for HR professionals to focus on staff wellbeing in education.
Learning from other sectors to improve staff wellbeing in education
As schools and trusts grapple with workforce challenges, looking beyond the education sector for solutions can provide valuable insights. Other industries, like healthcare, have implemented innovative workforce models that could inspire meaningful change in HR in schools.
Lessons from the NHS’s ‘Bank Model’
The NHS’s ‘Bank Model’ provides a cost-effective alternative to reliance on agency staff by creating a pool of pre-approved, on-demand workers. Schools and trusts could adopt a similar approach by establishing internal supply staff pools, reducing dependence on costly agency hires. This could be a significant shift for HR in schools, improving staff wellbeing in education by ensuring staffing stability and reducing workload stress.
Conclusion
The insights and predictions shared at the Schools and Academies Show (SAAS) highlight a pivotal moment for staff wellbeing in education. Schools and trusts must continue to prioritise staff wellbeing, leveraging technology, strategic HR practices, and lessons from other sectors to create supportive, sustainable working environments.
By integrating these strategies thoughtfully and collaboratively, schools can build resilient, thriving communities where both educators and students achieve their fullest potential.
To find out more about how Access Education can work with you to enhance staff wellbeing in education, explore our People Management solution, Access Education People & Payroll.
If you’re looking to simplify your billing by consolidating all your software under one contract, find out more about our Education Pricing Bundles.
