Chapter 7: Teacher Workload and Well-being

The workload of teachers in the English education system is notoriously burdensome, and for many, their well-being is markedly poor. This chapter unpicks the changing nature of workload and the ever-greater amount of work expected of teachers, not just in England but all over the world. With large workloads and poor well-being, how can teacher work be made more sustainable? And what would a positive, considered approach to well-being include? This chapter explores the theoretical foundations of workload and well-being, before summarising the research findings from across the world and in England. Suggested solutions from the research base for a more sustainable teacher professional role, something which is crucial in a period when many education systems are struggling to recruit and retain teachers, is then shared. We then reflect on the role of leaders in tackling workload and improving well-being within the context of educational organisations, when their own workload and well-being is often unmanageable.