Well-Being Strategies V Strategies for Well-Being

Written by Andrew Oberthur, Principal, St Columba’s Wilston

The topic of well-being is currently very common in the education sector along with other industries. There is a popular push for employers to look after their employees by providing well-being strategies. Education authorities are developing well-being frameworks, promoting their efforts to look after their employees. However, let me say something controversial. We don’t need well-being strategies if the conditions of employment already look after the employees. By the employing authority developing well-being frameworks, they are admitting that the conditions for employment are, in fact, not life-giving. Conditions requiring well-being strategies could be interpreted as harmful. Some of the conditions could in fact, be psycho-social hazards, causing stress to the employees, and hence requiring well-being strategies. If the conditions at work were life-giving, in a positive culture, then the employees would be thriving, not struggling. Employees wouldn’t need well-being strategies because their work culture is one of positive energy.

When there are numerous articles published about the stress levels of teachers and principals, it is apparent that the education sector has an image crisis, depicting it as a highly stressed environment, in many cases. It is an industry that is critical to the future of society, responsible for the education of our future leaders. The education sector is preparing our future scientists, change-makers and world leaders. How can teachers and principals do this effectively when they are working in a culture of stress and in some cases, mistrust. It is time for cultural change in the education sector, not well-being strategies. It is time for strategies that create an environment of well-being, and environment of positive, energetic culture.

Here is a table comparing common well-being strategies and their impact, to strategies for well-being and their impact. You will notice that well-being strategies are short-lived, sugar fixes. Immediate gratification and a burst of dopamine is the outcome, before the reality of day to day work returns. Strategies for well-being create a cultural change, where the work conditions enthuse and enliven the employees to be inspired to do a great job regularly.