Independent Schools Portal
  • Home
  • About
  • Professional Development in 2021
  • innovatED Magazine
    • innovatED Issue 1
    • innovatED Issue 2
    • innovatED Issue 3
    • innovatED Issue 4
Picture

Blog Page

Investing in staff wellbeing improves school performance AND saves money

10/2/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture

by Claire Fuller

​During recent weeks I have had some fascinating conversations with a variety of people who work in quite diverse organisations. We all know that there is never enough money to support all the needs of an organisation, so choices have to be made carefully, with all demands being considered.
This is especially true in schools, there are so many requests for cash yet often cuts are being made instead of funds being received.

When I work with people who want to feel less stressed, more fulfilled, better about themselves, more in control, I don’t consider that they are expecting too much, to have these desires. Working in a school, it is very easy to become stressed and overwhelmed with all the juggling of tasks that has to take place, the numerous needs of so many people around you and the innate desire to have a fulfilling home life as well as a satisfying work life.
When you have the basics well and truly in place, any school can save money and thrive.

These basics revolve around taking great care of your people so that they can take great care of making the school and the students an overwhelming success.
​

When all is flowing smoothly, people remain in their roles, they function at a higher level, they feel good about themselves and this all rubs off positively on the students.  The students therefore also perform at a higher level.
When you take great care of your people, vast recruitment costs become a thing of the past, long term sick leave is minimised, the requirement for supply teaching is hugely reduced and thus, a lot of money is saved.

So how easy is it to take great care of your people?

During my 14 years of working with and supporting busy professionals who struggle to find enough time to enjoy life (without feeling guilty) I have discovered that doing the following will often lead to staff feeling highly valued:
  1. Ensure that your staff feel appreciated - “Thank You” goes such a long way yet it can be often overlooked
  2. Provide small physical treats for staff e.g. cakes, healthy snacks etc. These don’t cost a lot but the impact of providing them boosts morale, team spirit and of course energy levels!
  3. Listen to your people – properly, with no agenda of your own

  • E.g. ask how they feel, find out how things are at home, how is their workload, are they coping well?
  • Being genuinely interested in people and properly listening pays dividends in the way someone feels as a result of this – we all love to feel valued and cared about (it is a human requirement) and this is a gesture towards achieving that.  Note: make notes about specific staff situations if necessary so that you can recap and enquire at later dates to find out any progress.
 
    4. Involve your people fully, keep them informed as to the plans you have in place for the next week, month, year and more – they will feel valued at this inclusion and it is very easy to do.
    5. Discover the strengths that each individual has and really work hard to ensure that their role fully utilises these strengths. Working to strengths ensures a motivated and happy work force because they feel they can do their job well.
    6. Invest in your people – provide wellbeing training to support their needs.  Being on output for a large part of each day is exhausting and they will need incoming support to build them up to full strength.

Sometimes people quote a lack of funds as a reason not to invest in wellbeing training, yet the reverse is actually true – can you afford NOT to invest?  When you DO invest in your people, you will make substantial savings and increase performance - all of which will translate into more positive learning outcomes for children.

I have always been a big believer in prevention rather than cure.  If we can prevent overwhelming costs from occurring, a school is always going to be in a better, healthier position.

If you would like to put a system in place to provide support for your people, do get in touch with Claire.  She can provide effective, proven resources that support staff wellbeing, building their resilience and improving their life both at work and at home.  This support does not take your people away from work, therefore cost is kept to a minimum and it integrates well into a standard week.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    2005 Conservative Manifesto
    30 Hours
    3D Classsroom
    3D Printer
    3D Software
    3 For Free
    Adele Bannister
    Adobe Spark
    AEGIS
    Alan Thompson
    Andrew Goff
    Andrew Hammond
    Andy Falconer
    Andy Goff
    Animation
    Ann Marie Christian
    Anti-Bullying
    Anti-bullying Guide
    Antonia Clarke
    Apple
    App Of The Week
    Appraisal
    Assessment
    Assessment Systems
    Autism
    Back To School
    Barry Richardson
    Baseline Assessment
    Beatwave
    Bee Aware Initiative
    Bishops Univerity
    Bishops University
    Blue Apple Education
    Briefing Note
    Buncee
    Bursars
    Buying
    Buying Support Agency
    Cardiio
    Careers
    CAS
    Catherine Lees
    Charity
    Chatterpix
    Child Protection
    Child Support
    Choices
    Chris Forrest
    Christina Gabbitas
    Claas
    Claire Fuller
    Claire Stead
    Classroom Technology
    Clifton School And Nursery
    Clubs
    Code Combat
    Code Studio
    Collaboration
    Collaborative Learning
    Collaborative Purchasing
    Competition
    Competitions
    Compliance
    Computing
    Conference
    Conferences
    Conservatives
    Coopetition
    CoSpaces
    CPOMS
    Creative Writing
    Cundall Manor
    Cyber Cafe
    Cyber-security
    Dan Arnold
    Dan Seneker
    David Goulbourn
    David Horton
    David Paton
    David Winfield
    Department For Education
    Deputy Heads
    Devolve Me
    Dfe
    Difficult Conversations
    Difficult Parents
    Diversity
    Dotty
    Early Years
    Economics
    Ecoschools
    EdShow
    Edtech
    Education
    Educational Fads
    Education Policy
    Education Show
    Election 2017
    Eliziam
    Email
    Emil Willis
    Emma Warner-Reed
    Engagement
    E Safety
    E-safety
    ExamPAL
    Feel Real
    Festival Of Learning
    Finance
    Find Of The Fortnight
    Finnish Education
    Firefly
    Flash Fiction
    Flipped Learning
    Flowing Tales
    Formative Assessment
    Funding
    GBM Digital
    Gender
    Gender Stereotypes
    Globalisation
    Gooseberry Planet
    Governors
    Grammar School At Leeds
    Grammar Schools
    Grants
    Green Paper
    Grief Recovery
    Grieving
    Growth Mindset
    GSaL
    Hannah Wilson
    Heads4Heads
    Headship
    Health And Safety
    Helene Ruda
    Henry Smith
    Higher Education
    Hi Impact
    Hi-impact
    Holmewood House
    Homework
    Hyde Park School
    IAPS
    Icomm
    ICT For Leaders
    Incerts
    Incredibox
    Independent Schools
    Independent Thinking
    Innova
    Innovation
    Inspection
    Inspiring Teaching
    Inspiring The Inspirers
    International Higher Education
    International Study
    Internet
    Internet Safety
    Intrinsic Motivation
    Ishita Mandraka
    ISI
    IT
    Jack Adamson
    Jack Jackman
    James Tooley
    Jo Marsden
    Justine Greening
    Kahoot
    Karen Burns
    KCSIE
    Klick Technology
    Koma Koma
    Kylie Reid
    Lab Furniture
    Leaders
    Leadership
    Learning Environments
    Learning Ladders
    Learning Platforms
    Lego Life
    Leigh McGarvie
    Lily Foundation
    Lisa Ashes
    Literacy
    Little Food Company
    Loss
    Lucidpress
    Maria Brosnan
    Mark Davies
    Mark Doherty
    Mark Lomas
    Maths
    Maths Setting
    Matt Haynes
    Matt Koster-Marcon
    Matt Roper
    Meetings
    Mental Health
    Mike Abraham
    Mike Hargreaves
    Miles Berry
    NAHT
    Networks
    Nicola Clifford
    Nursery
    Nursery Education
    Outdoor Learning
    Outward Bound Trust
    Oxford Home Schooling
    P4C
    Parental Engagement
    Parent Apps
    Parenting
    Parents Tour
    Parent Teacher Relationships
    Partners
    Paul Brewer
    Pedagogy
    Peter Carpenter
    Phil Garner
    Philosophy
    Philosophy-for-children
    Pirjo Suhonen
    Playdemic
    Pobble
    Pokemon Go
    Pownall Hall School
    Premier Education
    Principal Resourcing
    Professional Development
    Programming
    Pupil Progress
    Purchasing
    Radnor House School
    Ransomware
    Recruitment
    Red House School
    Renewable Energy
    Resiliance
    Ross Morrison McGill
    Safeguarding
    Samantha Fisher
    Sam Antrobus
    Sarah Barthorpe
    Saving Money
    Savings
    School Communication
    School Outdoor Learning
    Schools
    Secret Parent
    Self Broadcasting
    Sensavis
    Shadow Puppet
    Sheilds
    Shropshire 3D Print
    Smart
    Smart Technologies
    Smoothwall
    Smootwall
    Snapseed
    Social Media
    Software
    Solar For Schools
    Sonia Gill
    Sonita Alleyne
    SOuL
    Splice
    St Bees
    Stella
    Stella James
    Stephanie Walker
    St Olaves
    Stress
    Stronger Together
    Stuart Bayne
    Student Debt
    Students
    Study In Canada
    Studying In The USA
    Study US
    Supply Teaching
    Sustainability
    TeacherIn
    Teacher Shortages
    Teaching
    Teaching And Learning
    Teaching Ideas
    Tech
    Technology
    Teresa May
    Termly Update
    Thomas Packer
    Three For Free
    Tigtagjunior
    Tigtagworld
    Tiny Tap
    Top Trumps It
    Tracy Gladman
    Twig
    Twig World
    University Funding
    USA University Study
    VEO
    Video
    Video Editor
    Video Enhanced Observation
    Videos
    Virtual Reality
    Viviana Doctorovich
    Wellbeing
    WomenEd
    Wonder Why Society
    Work - Life Balance
    Worrinots
    Yasemin Wigglesworth
    Yes Programme

    RSS Feed

Stay social

Picture
(c) Blue Cow Education Limited 2015-20.  All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • About
  • Professional Development in 2021
  • innovatED Magazine
    • innovatED Issue 1
    • innovatED Issue 2
    • innovatED Issue 3
    • innovatED Issue 4