Best Practice

Staff wellbeing: A technology and communication strategy

Workload Staff wellbeing
Technology in education can present a serious threat to staff workload and wellbeing, not least when it comes to emails and communication. What can we do to mitigate the negative effects of technology? Emily Kenneally advises
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Technology is an incredible asset to educators, offering innovative ways to convey knowledge and inspire students. Nevertheless, left unchecked it can create a culture where teaching staff feel like they must always be available.

If technology is intruding on the personal life of you and your staff it is important to take action. What strategies does your school currently have in place to support staff?

It does not need to be a case of finger-pointing or blame. But we must ask how we can work together to make things better for everyone. The questions below will help to inform or refresh a technology strategy to ensure that it supports staff wellbeing at your school.

Don’t forget, any strategy that you put in place will need to adapt and grow as the technology at your school inevitably changes. Use these questions to embed best practices, support one another, and to remind parents of your communication policies.

  • When was the last time you shared communication expectations with the school community? Try to share your communication expectations with the school community – especially at the beginning of the academic year. This sets a clear boundary – i.e. letting parents know when communication hours end. If you haven’t started the year off with this information, it can always be shared later in the year. At the same time, make it clear to parents that having strict communication policies does not mean you are unwilling to cooperate with them. If there are extenuating personal circumstances that, for example, prevents a student from being in class on time, then of course a teacher will be open to discussing the situation with the parent, but just at an appropriate place and time.
  • What is your email protocol? Having guidance on how you communicate with colleagues internally can make a massive difference. Do you get a lot of emails sent outside normal school working hours? If a reply is not needed until the next working day, should the recipient hold off sending it altogether? Or state it clearly in the email itself that a reply is not expected until normal working hours? Some schools have formal protocols that emails should not be sent during certain hours, such as between 7pm and 7am on weekdays, or not after 5pm on Fridays until Monday mornings (and of course emails can always be written and programmed to be sent the next day).
  • What about other communication platforms? We know in the post-pandemic landscape that the use of WhatsApp and other social media groups has become increasingly popular among colleagues and leaders. These groups can add additional pressure – making you feel like you must be “switched on” at all hours. Do you have a specific policy in place around this type of communication?
  • What should staff do if they feel harassed by parents, students, or colleagues? For example, online learning tools should not be used to harass teachers. Do teachers and education staff know what to do if a parent starts placing unreasonable demands on them at all times of the day? Make it clear in your strategy who they can turn to for support and the steps they should follow.
  • How often will you review this strategy? Technology changes – and fast. How often do you plan on reviewing your strategy to ensure it is still fit-for-purpose? We suggest you revisit this strategy at least once every academic year.

 

Further general advice

Here are a few more general tips to consider to help reduce technology intrusion and workload for you and your staff:

  • Remind parents to stick to teachers’ office hours (reminders can be given during meetings, school events, and assemblies).
  • Prioritise the emotional wellbeing of teachers and remind them about access to Education Support counselling services when needed.
  • Develop a clear strategy for reducing an “always-available” mindset in the school.
  • Communicate with staff and parents openly about teacher boundaries and expectations regarding communication after hours.
  • Run boundary-setting workshops with staff and help them to realise their goals.
  • Have an open-door policy (during school hours) where educators and teaching staff can share their concerns or worries.
  • Model good practice. Your staff observe what you do and will act, or feel they need to act, accordingly. If you are sending emails late at night, they will too. If you turn off on the weekends, they will too!

Below you can find some sources for further ideas. Furthermore, check-out a recent Education Support video entitled Step away from the inbox: Technology tips for education staff who want a life outside of work. It features Lee Parkinson (Mr P ICT) a teacher, author and influencer and Gemma Scotcher from Education Support (see further information).

Emily Kenneally is the content and media manager at Education Support, a UK charity dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of the education workforce. For previous articles from Education Support, go to www.headteacher-update.com/authors/education-support-uk

 

Education Support

Education Support offers help or advice on any issue facing those working in education. Contact the free 24-hour helpline on 08000 562 561 or www.educationsupport.org.uk

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