Tackling School Staff Burnout: Expert Strategies, Insights, and Stats

The responsibilities that rest squarely on the shoulders of a school district decision-maker can be heavy indeed. School district leaders must be a guiding force for the future of countless students while also managing an intricate web of staff and resources that make it all possible. Today, one of those responsibilities is managing staff burnout. 

Burnout is more than persistent stress. The World Health Organization says burnout is “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” School leaders need to proactively take steps to identify, address, and protect their staff from the debilitating effects of burnout. When you do, not only do you ensure a more sustainable and effective workforce, but you also create an environment where students can thrive academically and emotionally. 

The following expert tips and tools will serve to safeguard your educators — and the bright future of your students.

What is Burnout?

According to a recent Gallup survey, 44 % of K-12 workers in the U.S. admit to "always" or "very often" feeling burned out at work, surpassing all other industries nationally. Within the K-12 employee population, teachers top the list, with a staggering 52% experiencing burnout. 

So what exactly is burnout? The WHO defines burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” marked by three primary characteristics

1. Fatigue: When your staff undergo burnout, they may experience a profound depletion of their energy, making it difficult to sustain their work.
2. Detachment: Educators facing burnout may start to emotionally detach from their roles, developing negative and cynical attitudes towards their profession.
3. Ineffectiveness: Burnout also gives rise to sentiments of inadequacy and a perception of being less effective in their work.

It’s important to note that burnout is not synonymous with demoralization; demoralization is a loss of enthusiasm and confidence. The National Education Association (NEA) says demoralization occurs “when an educator believes she is unable to perform the work in ways that uphold the high standards of the profession.” Demoralization is a specific form of job dissatisfaction, while burnout is a condition related to resource depletion.

Both demoralization and burnout warrant attention and intervention to support teachers' well-being and job satisfaction.

5 Factors Behind Educator Burnout

In March 2020, when the pandemic started, 36% of K-12 workers often felt burned out, which was higher than the 28% among all other workers. Since then, Gallup reports that this gap has nearly doubled. Currently, 44% of K-12 workers often feel burned out, compared to 30% of all other workers. 

There are 5 main reasons that burnout is so much higher in K-12 education than in other industries.

1. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the challenges faced by educators, with school openings and closures, parental frustrations with pandemic responses, and students' academic and mental health struggles. Female teachers, in particular, face a higher burnout rate of 55%, while male teachers follow closely at 44%. 

2. Salary and Job-Related Stress

Education has always been a purposeful yet challenging job, with relatively lower wages compared to other public sector workers. The complexities of working with students and navigating family dynamics, coupled with ever-evolving national and state-level policies, contribute to a demanding work environment. A significant stressor for many teachers is managing student behavior, supporting academic learning, and handling administrative work. Black teachers and male teachers are particularly likely to experience stress over low salaries.

3. Safety Concerns

Safety concerns in schools are also a significant source of stress. Roughly 41% of teachers indicated that they feel less safe at school, with reasons ranging from students misbehaving to fear of an active shooter.

4. Perceptions of Educator Prestige

Perceptions of educator prestige have significantly declined over the past decade. A combination of stagnant real wages for teachers, rising wages in other sectors for college-educated workers, the increasing cost of higher education, and declining respect for the profession are contributing factors. Moreover, the average teacher's salary has declined by approximately 6.4% over the past decade.

5. Mental Health Support

Access to well-being and mental health support is crucial in preventing burnout. While more educators reported having access to such support in 2023, only slightly more than half indicated that these supports were adequate. Insufficient class coverage and paid leave to access supports were the top reasons teachers found their mental heath supports inadequate.

Educator burnout is a complex issue with many causes. School leaders can play a pivotal role in addressing these concerns by protecting teachers' time and supporting their mental health and well-being. By doing so, they can reduce the burnout rate and help educators stay committed to their students and communities.

Signs of Burnout in Your School Staff

Recognizing signs of burnout in your school staff is crucial, as they may not realize they're heading toward burnout until it's too late. Early identification of the following symptoms allows education leaders to implement effective intervention strategies.

Persistent Fatigue

Overwhelming workloads and emotional strain can lead to constant fatigue. Unlike manageable situations where fatigue ebbs and flows, overburdened educators may experience uninterrupted fatigue, impacting sleep, causing irritability, and affecting eating habits.

Self-Doubt 

While self-critique is a normal part of professional development, educators on the path to burnout may question their suitability for teaching altogether. Doubting the value of their work becomes a pervasive concern beyond individual lessons or units.

Withdrawal

Feeling overwhelmed, educators may withdraw from social interactions, avoiding gatherings and skipping lunch with colleagues. Increased use of mental health days, reduced participation in meetings, and avoidance of optional after-hours school events are common signs.

Lack of Collaboration

Burnout often leads to a decline in collaboration. Teachers may lose interest in sharing lessons, visiting colleagues' classrooms, or engaging in meaningful email correspondence. Communication with peers may become predominantly negative, focusing on complaints about students, parents, school policies, and administration.

Loss of Inspiration 

While most educators start their careers with enthusiasm and a desire to make a difference, burnout extinguishes this inspiration. Instead of excitement at the beginning of the school year, burned-out educators may feel dread. Confidence in their ability to impact students diminishes, and they may perceive their efforts as futile.

School leaders need to rely on their staff to observe and support each other. When school staff members are concerned about a colleague, they should also have a safe, confidential place to pass on their concerns. In other words, without a school culture of belonging and safety, you may not not hear about educators at risk of burnout until they've given their notice. 

Teacher Burnout Has 5 Main Risks for Students 

When a teacher is burned out, students may experience a noticeable shift in the classroom atmosphere. The learning environment might become boring and uninspiring. The teacher's enthusiasm for the subject matter and their ability to connect with students may wane, leading to a sense of disconnection. The teacher's usual support and encouragement might be replaced with a lack of energy and, in some cases, frustration. 

Here are 5 ways teacher burnout puts students at risk.

1. Teacher absenteeism

Studies indicate that an increase of 10 teacher absentee days results in a 3.3% decline in fourth-grade mathematics achievement, a significant impact given that this directly influences the learning of approximately 25 students in a single class. Beyond the immediate academic effect, absent teachers can disrupt collaborative planning and professional development sessions, indirectly affecting the students of their fellow educators.

2. Student performance

Even slight variations in the performance of a few students can substantially influence overall school outcomes, potentially affecting student enrollment and retention. Minor shifts in student performance may create a ripple effect, influencing the school's reputation and attractiveness to prospective students.

3. Teacher attrition

Teacher burnout and attrition often coincide, directly impacting student learning. The NEA notes that losing a teacher mid-year due to attrition is equivalent to losing up to 72 instructional days, causing students to lag behind. Stressed teachers are likely to employ less effective teaching methods, leading to reduced instructional quality and classroom management.

4. Classroom management

A study in the Journal of Educational Psychology revealed that teachers facing burnout at the beginning of the school year showed worsened classroom management skills by spring, negatively impacting the learning environment. Additionally, research from the University of British Columbia suggests that students of burned-out teachers may experience increased stress hormones, highlighting the potential impact of teacher stress on students.

5. High-poverty schools and marginalized students

Unsurprisingly, students in high-poverty schools feel the impact of educator burnout the most. According to research at The Learning Policy Institute, Title I schools (those with at least 35% low-income students) experienced turnover rates 50% higher than non–Title I schools. Teacher burnout contributes to a troubling divide in educational outcomes.

Care Solace: Support for School Staff Experiencing Burnout

Navigating the demanding landscape of education often brings forth immense stress and fatigue for dedicated educators. Care Solace recognizes these challenges and serves as a vital link, providing essential mental health support to those in our schools.

It's crucial to recognize and address burnout early, as doing so can profoundly influence both personal well-being and the quality of education offered. Let's collectively prioritize the mental health of our educators, fostering a sustainable and supportive educational environment for all.

Learn more about how Care Solace helps school staff nurture their well-being — and avoid burnout.