Well Being
The National Agreement states that "all teachers should enjoy a reasonable work/life balance." Establishing a reasonable balance between the demands of work and other aspects of an employee's life is a crucial aspect of the Workforce Remodelling Agenda.
The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 2003 (STPCD 2003) lays out the new statutory obligations regarding worklife balance.
Irrespective of the National Agreement, schools should recognise the value of a satisfying balance between a job or career and other parts of a person's life (view the statistics). All employers have a duty of care towards their employees under health and safety legislation and should be providing risk assessments, which cover stress and related issues as well as the physical environment.
The 'Well-Being Programme' is a national initiative set up by Work-Life Support, which began in Norfolk LEA and is now being run by over 40 Local Authorities in the UK. It is described as "an innovative, solutions-focused programme," that brings people together to focus on what they would like to change and how they could do it. It emphasises the need for ownership by all staff and for the long-term sustainability of a healthy working and learning environment and is for all staff in education, not just teachers.
The programme aims to work with schools and LA business units to devise practical strategies to help transform their culture and ethos. It is based on the assumption that staff members are our most valuable but also our most vulnerable resource and therefore need to be nurtured and supported. The aim is to make staff well-being a firmly embedded element that is seen as a pre-requisite for real improvement and progress. Many schools involved in the programme have successfully improved retention, absenteeism, productivity and morale - all of which have led to improved school effectiveness - and this has been long-lasting.
Further information can be found at: