Causes of well-being, stress and burnout of school leaders Geert Devos Bellon – Universiteit Gent

Why studying well-being and stress ? School leaders are important for student learning Create environment for teaching and learning Increasing absenteeism in Flemish education Especially leadership positions in primary education 21,8 days/year in primary education 16,8 days/year in secondary education 50% because of psycho-social causes

Research questions What factors stimulate well-being en reduce stress of school leaders in primary and secundary education? High performing school leaders School leaders in schools with a high turnover of school leaders School leaders with more than five years experience in schools with a low SES student population How can school leaders be supported through selection, induction and professional development?

Stress Well-being Job satisfaction Job enthousiasm cognitive, satisfaction with several aspects of he job: working conditions, personal growth opportunities, … Job enthousiasm emotional, more feeling oriented Stress Positive challenge, motivational 2. Negative imbalance between demands from environment and capacities of the individual

Burnout 3 dimensions Burnout indicator (Maslach Burn-out Inventory) Emotional exhaustion “I feel burned out from my work” Depersonalisation/cynicism “I doubt that my work is useful” Lack of personal accomplishment “I don’t know how to solve the problems at my work” Burnout indicator (Maslach Burn-out Inventory) No or limited burnout (1,00-1,99) Weekly or monthly (2,00-3,33) Daily (always) burnout (3,34-5,00)

Methods Semi-structured interviews en short survey with 34 school leaders (primary and secondary) High performing school leaders School leaders in schools with high principal turnover School leaders in challinging circumstances (low SES students) Focus groups with 33 participants (primary and secondary) Local school networks School boards Principal associations

Conclusions Factors influencing well-being and stress of school leaders Selection, induction and professional development

How is the well-being and the stress/burn-out of Flemish school leaders? Job satisfaction/job enthousiasm varies from average to high Experience of stress varies (continuous or peaks of stress) Weekly to monthly burnout: About half of the school leaders / 1 even daily burnout Also half of the high performing school leaders burnout symptoms! Most burnout symptoms in primary education in schools with high principal turnover For high performing school leaders and school leaders with low SES-student population: burnout similar in primary and secondary education

Different facets of burnout Burnout is complex, and has several forms Lack of personal accomplishment: mainly with school leaders in schools with high turnover Emotional exhaustion: mainly with high performing school leaders and school leaders with a low SES student population Depersonalisation/cynicism: is rare Burnout remains often unnoticed School leaders with burnout show regret, most consider leaving the job

Factors stimulating well-being but can lead to stress as well Interpersonal relations Teachers Students Parents Autonomy Motivating to develop a personal vision Varying experiences and perceptions Role of school board

Factors stimulating well-being but can lead to stress as well Educational tasks and innovations High performing school leaders and low SES: motivating School leaders with high turnover: resistance Family: from feasable balance to neglect General appreciation for the job is differently perceived

Factors leading systematically to stress and burnout Red tape Government generates administrative overload Inspection – less than school leaders perceive Insufficient time for educational tasks Primary education: too many basic adminstrative tasks Work load Too many tasks: endless working hours and never feel the job is done Too many meetings Less problematic for school leaders who know how to delegate or share leadership

Factors leading systematically to stress and burnout Rules and legislation Unclear, too late – feasability and communication fail when reforms are initiated Not enough grass roots participation Unclear how government or other educational agencies can support Career Low salary Career perspectives are limited

Conclusions Factors influencing well-being and stress of school leaders Selection, induction and professional development

Selection, induction and professional development Different profiles Importance of awareness of profile needed Limited number of qualified candidates Induction Training, coaching/mentoring Importance to align with needs of individual school leaders (possible in coaching and apprenticeship) Professional development

Policy recommendations School leaderschip is crucial All school leaders – also high performing – run risk of burnout Difficult search for qualified candidates = worrying -> measures not only to reduce stress – also to increase the attractiveness of the job of principal

Importance of resilience and care Balance work – private life External pressure – control freaks Already attention during initial training Importance of feedback from peers Alertness of school board Government: climate of openness and breaking the taboo for leaders – goes beyond education

Tasks school leader and resources Primary education: need of administrative support Principal is allrounder Minimum 1 FTE School leadership is more than 1 principal Need of leadership team Important to discuss problems and challenges Also in small schools Importance of resources for school policy, also in primary education Learning process: how to delegate and lead a team Resources and leadership team are not enough: see stress in secondary education

Crucial role of the school staff Dynamic and cooperative team Important for motivation and well-being of principal and teachers Need of flexibility in assignment teacher, involvement in policy and cooperation with colleagues Limited autonomy in personnel policy What to do with low performing teachers? Keep enthousiastic, dynamic beginning teachers Tenure not in a position in a school but in a school board Large accountability of principals demands a considerate authority

Administrative obligations and red tape Extra administrative support + reduction of red tape Tendency to written reports for all decisions Stress of principals by appeal of parents against school decisions Leads tot bureaucracy in school policy Quality control ≠ documents for all actions and decisions Need of trust in schools, school leaders and teachers

Selection school leaders Limited number of qualified candidates Extra resources and shared leadership: + increase attractiveness Prefer resources to salary increase (also in secondary education!) Yet frustration salary compared to teachers/other sectors Career: not in one and the same school Mandates? Attractiveness of the job? Need of flexibility and job switch to other schools School board Professional selection and configuration of leadership team Match between school team and school leader High performing school leaders originate from teacher leadership in the same school

Training school leaders Need of preparation for the job Teacher leadership step towards school leadership Learn to know what the job is about Professional development in leadership skills Real life test of leadership comtetence Again importance of leadershipTEAMS Training related to leaderschip practice in apprenticeship In high performing schools Coaching by competent school leaders Intervision with peer-feedback