Seven in ten Australian teachers are at risk of burnout due to heavy workloads, poor work-life balance and being overwhelmed by administrative tasks, according to analysis of new data collected from more than 400 teachers and more than 2,800 students.
The analysis of data collected during the first two terms of 2022 by leading school wellbeing platform, Truwell, also found there was a concerning percentage of students who were not coping well, which has been trending upward as the year progresses.
Truwell Director and Co-founder, Dr Timothy Hawkes, said that while the issue of wellbeing in schools had increased in importance and received considerable government investment, there was clear need for greater focus on wellbeing support for school communities.
“Our data shows that there are a significant number of teachers that are struggling and in need of help, particularly with regards to accessing practical applications to address burnout and work-life balance,” Dr Hawkes said.
“It also shows there is need practical tools to equip teachers better identify and support students experiencing wellbeing issues without placing further burden on their workload.”
Dr Hawkes, a recognised leader in education, said many of the current wellbeing programs in the education system were limited in scope and didn’t go far enough to support the early intervention of wellbeing issues.
“It’s time we move beyond surveys to simply monitor teachers’ and students’ mental wellbeing,” Dr Hawkes said.
“Rather than just monitoring the rate of fall by teachers and students down the wellbeing cliff and sending ambulances to the bottom, we need to build a protective fence at the top by providing tools that support and empower them.”
Established in 2020, Truwell is the only comprehensive wellbeing platform developed to support the entire school community through its evaluation tools, interactive resources and ground-breaking AI powered analytics.
The Truwell teacher data found:
- The biggest issue affecting teacher wellbeing was the administrative burdens being placed on them, with 72 per cent identifying it as issue.
- A heavy workload and poor work-life balance, and Burnout were ranked second and third, with 68 per cent and 67 per cent respectively identifying them as an issue.
- Almost a third of teachers feel they don’t feel they have a positive relationship with parents and colleagues (28 per cent). The same number indicated workplace bullying, discrimination or harassment was an issue for them.
The Truwell student data found:
- Almost a third of students (32 per cent) reported they were not coping well over the first half of the year. Of concern, the capacity to cope had declined from 74 per cent in term one to 61 per cent in term two.
- Almost a quarter of students (24 per cent) have concerns about their health, while 17 per cent reporting concern with acceptance and 13 per cent concerned about safety.
- Acceptable levels of hopefulness and happiness was missing in 30 per cent and 24 per cent of students respectively
Co-founder and CEO of Truwell, Adam Weber, said that as part of its development roadmap and desire to make a positive contribution to contemporary wellbeing problems in schools, Truwell had recently launched a completely redesigned Student Wellbeing Check-in, which was available for free to any school needing it.
“Truwell’s Check-in, which forms part of our comprehensive platform, helps teachers get an immediate indication of students wellbeing in a quick and meaningful manner based on their response to six key questions that capture the essential variables impacting them,” Mr Weber said.
“The redesigned Check-in empowers educators to provide effective and proactive wellbeing care while also decreasing their workload through the use of AI to guide them have quick and impactful conversations that help address student wellbeing issues.
“It also leads to much earlier intervention on issues, as opposed to waiting until they become critical”.
Mr Weber said Truwell would continue to innovate its wellbeing offering to respond to the challenges facing the school community, including further refinement of its AI feature which is designed to assist overworked teachers provide the pastoral care they are required to give students.
As part of this, Truwell has also launched a School Wellbeing Strategy Accelerator program which helps educators gain wellbeing knowledge from experts – including Dr Evelyne Field, Daniela Falecki, Dr Paul Kidson and Stuart Ryan. Since its launch at the end of term two, more than 150 schools nationally have signed up for the program.
According to Dr Hawkes, encouraging a collegial response to the wellbeing challenge in schools is vital for there to be meaningful change for the better in Australian schools.
Key Facts:
· 72 per cent of teachers identify administrative burdens as issue
· Almost 70 per cent of teachers rank work-life balance and Burnout at concerning level
· Almost a third of students are not adequately coping, a concerning figure that is trending up as the year progresses.
About us:
About Truwell: Truwell is Australia’s leading school wellbeing platform now being used by more than 350 schools s nationally. Truwell provides a range of well-being resources which looks to help the well-being of entire school communities, including teachers, students, staff, and parents through innovative AI technology, and customisable digital features. In addition, to wellbeing assessment tools for students, teachers and the wider school community, the Truwell platform has more than 80 wellbeing courses designed specifically for teachers and students.
