The challenge of attracting and retaining teachers is increasingly being considered alongside the workplace conditions that influence teacher wellbeing, job satisfaction and decisions to leave the profession. New research from Curtin University examining a government campaign designed to encourage more people to consider teaching provides an opportunity to examine the gap between the inspirational image of teaching and the realities of teachers’ working lives.
The Australian Government’s Be That Teacher campaign, launched in October 2023 as part of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, sought to elevate the status of teaching and encourage more Australians to consider a career in education. It emphasised the meaningful and rewarding aspects of the profession, including teachers’ ability to inspire students and make a lasting difference in their lives.
However, research cited in the study presents a more complex picture. One study found that 46% of Australian teachers were considering leaving their jobs within 12 months because of workload and stress. Teacher turnover and retention have also been linked to job satisfaction, workplace conditions, occupational stress and wellbeing.
The scale of the issue is further illustrated by a survey of more than 22,000 teachers, in which 86% described their work as emotionally demanding and 58% identified excessive workload as a source of stress. Many of the factors associated with teacher attrition are also recognised as psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Teachers report increasing work intensification and pressure arising from administrative and accountability responsibilities. Research has also identified concerns about safety associated with student and parent behaviour. Deteriorating working conditions have, in turn, been linked to burnout and demoralisation, particularly among mid-career teachers.
These findings highlight an important workplace safety principle: wellbeing is influenced not only by the nature of the work itself, but by the way work is designed, organised and managed.
Teaching can be deeply meaningful while also involving high workloads, significant emotional demands and stretched resources. A strong sense of purpose can contribute to job satisfaction, but it does not remove workplace hazards or protect workers from the effects of poor working conditions.
This creates an important distinction when considering campaigns that portray teachers primarily as inspirational individuals. Celebrating the contribution of individual educators may help improve perceptions of the profession and encourage recruitment. However, retaining teachers also depends on the collective and organisational conditions that allow them to perform their roles effectively.
Encouraging workers to develop resilience or individual coping strategies may have a role in a broader wellbeing program, but these measures do not substitute for the employer’s duty to implement higher order controls in addressing the workplace factors creating the risk.
For schools and education employers, this means considering issues such as workload, staffing, resources, professional support, autonomy and workplace relationships in work design when identifying and managing risks to teacher wellbeing.
Ultimately, the research suggests that teacher wellbeing needs to be understood within the context of institutional and workplace arrangements, rather than being treated primarily as an individual responsibility. Positive messages about the value of teaching may help attract new educators, but retaining experienced teachers requires workplaces that provide the conditions necessary to do the job safely, effectively and sustainably.
The lesson extends beyond education. Meaningful work and a positive workplace culture are important contributors to wellbeing, but they need to be supported by effective management of the working conditions that can contribute to psychological harm.