Welfare policy in schools: towards scientifically substantiated instruments

As a school leader or board, how can you limit work stress in your teaching staff? What frameworks are there for drawing up a good welfare policy that focuses on psychosocial well-being? Which instruments can support this? By answering these questions, we help schools to get started with the formulation of a policy and to use targeted instruments.

Onderzoeksthema: Samen leren en school ontwikkelen

Interessegebied: Education; HR and Leadership

Looptijd: 1/04/2021 - 28/02/2022

Financing: Overheidsopdrachten

Education is a stress-sensitive sector

Research shows that teachers often enjoy doing their job. Unfortunately, research also shows that education is a very stressful sector. The figures on work stress problems and symptoms of burnout continue to increase. These also appear to be higher in Flanders than among colleagues from other countries. In recent years, Flemish education has been constantly confronted with a teacher shortage and the outflow of young teachers.

It is therefore crucial that we in Flanders focus on measures to increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession and to keep education professionals (teachers, school leaders, support staff, etc.) in work.

Need for support in drawing up welfare policy

A good and targeted welfare policy that, among other things, focuses on the psychosocial aspects of work in schools is necessary.

School leaders and school boards need support on both a theoretical and instrumental or methodical level to develop and actually use a welfare policy.

Ready-to-use and sustainable instruments for welfare policy

The main aim of this research was therefore:

the inventory of existing instruments;
the translation into a ready-to-use and sustainable set of instruments for welfare policy in Flemish primary and secondary schools, as part of strategic personnel policy.

Gathering insights about factors that contribute to stress and well-being and mapping existing tools are seen as necessary building blocks for this main goal and we therefore formulate them as sub-questions.

Job demands-resources model

To achieve this, we use the Job Demands-Resources model. This is one of the most commonly used models that indicates which factors within the job explain stress and well-being of employees.

The approach of this model is also in line with the 5 A's (Work organisation, work content, terms, conditions and relationships) which are described in welfare legislation as factors in the work environment and work situation that are associated with psychosocial risks.

Steps research project

Which job resources and job demands related to the 5 A's can be identified in educational research literature?
Search for instruments (inside and outside education) that respond to the identified demands and resources.
Discuss the results of step 1 and step 2 with important stakeholders (e.g.: trade union, GO! and education umbrella organisations, school leaders) in two rounds of focus groups.

Output

A scientific research report
A practice-oriented and scientifically based inspiration guide
Recommendations for stakeholders

More information and the various documents can be found on the website of the Department of Education and Training .

This research is being carried out in collaboration with the research group Bellon at Ghent University (promoters Prof. Dr. Melissa Tuytens and Prof. Dr. Geert Devos and researcher Maxime Moens).