Help staff cope better with demands
These resources will help you to support your staff in managing the demands of their job
Teachers’ Guide - Building Resilience
The Teachers’ Guide shares the techniques and approaches to resilience of a number of Hampshire Teachers as well as wider professionals. School leaders are encouraged to share the guide with their teaching staff, encouraging use of the document to prompt their own thinking. The document can be used to support discussions regarding wellbeing and resilience whether formally through line management and staff meetings (for example focusing on particular sections) or more informally as needs arise to explore strategies for individual staff.
Download the Teachers’ Guide – Building Resilience
Stress Management
Wider Advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on managing stress within the workplace, using the Stress Management Standards which cover six key aspects of work that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health and wellbeing, lower productivity and increased sickness absence: Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role and Change. They have a number of tools and resources to support your school’s work around this.
In addition, for Hampshire maintained schools, the Children’s Services Health & Safety Team have a Stress Management Standards Assessment Checklistword based on the HSE model which provides a risk assessment tool to help you ensure you meet your requirement to minimise the risk of stress on your staff.
Stress Management Guidance is also available from the Children’s Services Health & Safety Team.
EPS Traffic Light Tool
The Traffic Light Tool uses a set of statements for staff to answer and presents the outcome using an easy-to-understand RAG rating system. An experienced wellbeing adviser will also meet with members of your leadership team or governing body to discuss the report and develop an action plan.Self Care
If you endorse resilience habits among your staff, it’s imperative that you are an authentic role model. This can be challenging for many managers when it comes to self-care. If you work late, rush a sandwich at your desk, send texts and emails during unsocial hours, if you’re drained and low on energy but battle on regardless, you are not role-modelling self-care habits. All of which will affect your credibility as a manager as you are giving, not living, the messages. Talking about self-care and making your self-care visible will give your people permission to do the same. People who keep well are productive and able to deliver good work.
5 Whys
When you first ask people why they do their job, the predictable answer is ‘For the money.’ Once you get past that, more meaningful responses come to the fore that fit the person and the values underpinning their choice of role. It’s helpful to have access to the organisation’s vision and values statements to facilitate further discussion. Hearing you clarify what you stand for and why you do the job you do will inspire and strengthen the pride your people take in their work.