Education workforce – health and wellbeing support: report findings and recommendations

Research and Methodology

2.1 Participants

As the aims were to explore wellbeing support for the education workforce, and due to a range of organisational structures across LAs, the most appropriate officer to participate in a structured discussion was identified. Collaborative partners were nominated via the ADES network and the members of the SWWSRG. Each Executive Director of education was asked to nominate an officer to collaborate with. In addition, eleven ESGs were identified to gain further insight into how national bodies support approaches to improving wellbeing for education practitioners in LAs.

*Table 1. Participant breakdown and response rate

The response rate to the invitation to collaborate was very high at 97% among LAs and 91% among ESGs (95% overall response rate). Interviews conducted were 29/32 for LAs (91%) and 10/11 for ESGs (91%) within the timescale (91% collaboration rate).

LAs nominated colleagues from a range of roles and in varying numbers who participated in the structured interviews. 72% of LAs indicated that they have a designated education lead for HWB and 34% identified the existence of a HWB strategy specifically for supporting the wellbeing of education staff.

2.2 Measures and Design

It is important to acknowledge the variation in role and, therefore, the differences in remit of each LA representative. Furthermore, the size and structure of each LA and their education service should also be noted. It was, therefore, important to ensure that there was an element of consistency in capturing the information. Figure 2 provides a breakdown of the roles of those colleagues who were nominated, and participated, in the research.

*Figure 2. Breakdown of participant roles

Information gathering proformas were developed to consistently capture qualitative and quantitative data through a series of semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2023 and February 2024.

The aim of each interview was to understand, and gain further knowledge on, the approach to supporting education practitioners in each LA. Open-ended questions and follow up prompts were used during each scheduled discussion.

In accordance with national recommendations,^[4] current research into positive workplace cultures and the importance of being evidence based, specific topics were included in the semi-structured interviews. These related to relational approaches, the existence of a dedicated education HWB lead for staff wellbeing and strategy, and information around approaches to consultation and data gathering.

The design implemented a mixed-method approach, gathering large volumes of qualitative information in addition to quantitative data. Combining these methods provided additional insights that would not have been possible to capture had a single research method been adopted.

2.3 Existing Research and Current Approach

There is a significant amount of academic research which consistently highlights the importance of fostering positive working environments in the workplace^[5]. The evidence suggests that when employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to feel more committed to an organisation's objectives, report improved wellbeing and deliver more effective services.

Studies have shown^[6] that staff are more engaged in their work when they feel that they are being listened to and that an employee's sense of control of their work improves when they feel that their feedback is valued.

In terms of education services, at the present time, research^[7] indicates that education practitioners are more likely to experience lower levels of wellbeing than the general population and, additionally^[8], be found to have greater levels of depression, stress and anxiety compared to staff in other sectors.

It is important to note that most research data was gathered from education practitioners in England and Wales. While it would be expected that similar trends would be identified in Scotland, understanding the current national picture has been a crucial part of this work.

In doing so, learning from previous research projects has influenced the methodology. There are six key organisational features identified by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) as impacting on work-related stress, but these are open to change and improvement.

Demands – this includes issues such as workload and work patterns.

Control – this includes how much say a person has in the way they do their work.

Support – this includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues.

Relationships – this includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour.

Role – this includes whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles.

Change – this includes how organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation.

These six organisational features as well as additional attributes including communication, culture and environment have provided a robust evidence-based framework for capturing and collating high levels of qualitative data to better understand the current national picture and the issues that are informing staff HWB practice.

Communication – this relates to the process of exchanging information and the methods used to do so.

Culture – this relates to the values, attitudes and behaviours of those in the organisation.

Environment – this relates to physical conditions of the workplace which includes all the resources that an employee requires to undertake their duties successfully.

2.4 Data

Qualitative

Due to the research design, and the nature of the semi-structured discussions with LA representatives, large volumes of information were gathered during the data capture phase. It was, therefore, important to adopt a thematic approach to analysis to provide a rich and detailed account of a complex data set.

Whilst the six HSE organisational features did provide a helpful framework for the initial phase of theming the data, it was important to ensure there was a structured and thorough approach to limit research bias. Key principles of the six phases of thematic analysis model^[9] were applied which identified the additional cultural attributes of organisations which are noted as key themes in the data.

From LA respondents, qualitative data was collected on:

• approaches to consultation and methods of capturing information on staff wellbeing,
• key "drivers" highlighted by those consultative approaches,
• how and what supports were devised as a result.
• how approaches were evaluated.
• what the LA considered to be their strengths in education workforce HWB
• Quantitative

The quantitative data gathered was helpful in terms of gaining a greater understanding of the structure of education services, nationally, and their approaches to supporting the HWB of their workforces. Those insights alongside the qualitative themes ensured more comprehensive results, strengthened the validity of the findings and, therefore, the recommendations.

Quantitative data was gathered on:

• response rate,
• the existence of a dedicated LA HWB lead,
• the role of the nominated representative from each LA
• whether the LA had a HWB strategy specifically for education staff

2.5 Analysis of Data

As information was analysed, clear themes began to emerge which required data to be handled as subsets.

References to the following Relational Approaches were divided into.

• coaching - a one-to-one conversation on the enhancement of learning and development through increasing self-awareness and a sense of personal responsibility, where the coach facilitates the self-directed learning of the coachee through questions, active listening, and challenge in a supportive and encouraging climate.
• supervision - a process of PL and development that enables individuals to reflect on and develop their knowledge, skills, and competence, through agreed and regular support from another professional
• peer support - a supportive and confidential relationship with a professional colleague or group of colleagues
• mentoring - a relationship in which a more experienced colleague shares their greater knowledge to support the development of a more inexperienced individual.
• induction - a planned procedure or scheme to introduce someone to a new role or organisation.

Approaches to consultation information was themed by the methods used by LAs to gather the data they use to inform strategy or offers of HWB approaches.

Self-identified strengths statements were grouped by thematic analysis into.

• Physical Health
• Collaboration
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Relational Approaches
• Responsiveness
• PL
• Strategic Work
• HWB for all
• Communication
• Culture & Ethos

Information related to PL was handled by looking at how the offers had been developed. It was important to understand the landscape of national offerings, development of locally sustainable approaches, collaboration and the procurement of packages of support from third parties being accessed by LA staff.

• PL Activities devised and delivered by LA.
• PL Activities procured and delivered by others.
• PL Activities involving wider collaboration - across LAs or with unions.
• National Offerings – staff accessing the PL opportunities procured in the original support offer funded by the SG.