The education sector is facing a critical wellbeing challenge. Mental health concerns among education professionals have been on the rise. Burnout, stress, and workload pressures have led to 55% of education professionals actively looking for employment outside of the education sector.
There are practical, low cost methods that can create positive change for teachers, team leaders and support staff. Here are some ways that organisations can take action to support the mental health and wellbeing of their teams:
1. Clear, transparent policies
Workplaces are made up of individuals with a wide range of needs. It’s essential for leadership to ensure line managers are prepared to provide meaningful support and streamline internal communication. Well-defined and openly communicated policies contribute to a more consistent and equitable workplace. This gives employees clarity and confidence in their work environment.
Policies should include information on relevant business processes, include jargon-free language and give contact details of a responsible person within the organisation that can offer clarification and guidance on each policy. When managers are equipped to handle everyday wellbeing conversations, it creates a more responsive environment. It also helps prevent HR teams from being the default for all wellbeing-related issues. This shared responsibility leads to more effective, sustainable support across the organisation.
2. Manager support
Creating policies and guidance for managers is really important, but it won’t be effective if you don’t communicate it. According to research by The Workforce Institute at UKG, 7 in 10 employees would like their company and manager to do more to support mental health.
Over half (55%) of education professionals are thinking about changing jobs in the coming year. When staff feel seen, heard, and valued, they’re more likely to stay committed to their roles—even during challenging times. Targeted support and regular manager-employee check-ins to build trust and supportive relationships could play a key role in improving overall wellbeing and retention.
3. Mental health support
On average, full-time school teachers work 51 hours per week, with senior leaders putting in 57 hours. These extended working hours are largely driven by excessive administrative duties, heavy marking workloads and ongoing staff shortages. It’s no surprise that 37% of education professionals experiencing burnout cite working long hours as the reason. Long hours are often considered as ‘part and parcel’ of the profession, with passionate employees wanting to make a difference to learners’ lives. But this commitment shouldn’t be taken for granted, especially when it comes to mental health.
On average, UK employees took 5.68 mental health days off in 2024, with 43% of employees within the education sector taking absences due to poor mental health. Destigmatising mental health in the workplace is the first step to creating a culture where seeking help is seen as a strength. Training in Mental Health First Aid equips organisations with essential tools to create a supportive workplace and promote a culture of wellbeing across the organisation.
4. Wellbeing benefits
Towergate Employee Benefits found that less than half of UK employees fully understand their employee benefits, with only 39% feeling confident in their knowledge of what is available. In the education sector, a third (33%) of workers say they don’t find their employee benefits useful, and a quarter (25%) have no wellbeing support.
Our data found that the most sought-after wellbeing benefits for employees in the education sector include:
- personal/mental health days (33%)
- private healthcare (21%)
- counselling (20%)
- health check-ups (20%)
- 24/7 GP (17%)
Although this data highlights key trends, the most valuable insights come from listening directly to your own employees and understanding their specific experiences and needs. Using surveys, feedback sessions, or one-to-one check-ins help to understand what matters most to employees.
Download our free factsheet on wellbeing in the education sector
This free summary sheet provides key insights into the mental health challenges facing teachers, support staff and leaders in the education sector. It highlights key findings, the biggest factors causing burnout and key takeaways to improve employee wellbeing.
