Staff Morale Boosters
“Morale and attitude are fundamentals to success.”-Bud Wilkinson
Let’s face it: being an educator is hard these days. One of the most beneficial things an administrator can do is work on boosting teacher and staff morale. Here are five simple ways to boost your staff’s morale without breaking the bank or taking away from your other responsibilities.
Tip 1: Respect their time
Every teacher wants more time! So be respectful of the time that teachers have. This could mean that you keep all meetings to a specific time allocation, that you provide coverage for their recess or lunch once a month to allow for an extra planning session, or that you cancel meetings that could be communicated in an email. When teachers feel that you recognize their limited amount of time and attempt to create more for them, they feel like you understand them, which increases their mood and spirit!
Tip 2: Recognition
Everyone likes to hear what they are doing well, especially when it feels like the walls are caving in. Taking time to recognize teachers on the announcements, creating a staff shout-out board for staff to acknowledge their colleagues (these stars would be perfect), or writing teachers an email/note when you see something great they are doing for students (these cute cards are inspirational and fun). This will help them feel like they are making a difference, and that you are noticing. If teachers feel invisible and as if nothing they are doing matters, over time, that will translate to lower student achievement and happiness. On the other hand, if teachers feel seen and appreciated, what transfers will be much more positive. A little recognition can go a long way!
Tip 3: Get Personal
Building relationships with teachers can be very powerful. Taking time to learn about their families and hobbies can help you have meaningful conversations and make connections. Celebrating their birthday with a card, an announcement, or a treat is a simple way to get personal and make staff feel special. Create a spreadsheet or sign up form and have teachers and staff write down their favorite snack and drink, then surprise them with that on their birthday or when you know they’re having a rough time. It is a small gesture that makes them feel special and valued.
Tip 4: Trust
Trust is one of the most important things to build with your staff. You can gain trust by being consistent and genuine. Let teachers know that you are always willing to listen, that you trust them to do their jobs, and that they can trust that you will mean what you say and say what you mean! If you are sending the message (intentionally or unintentionally) that you do not trust your staff by nitpicking small things, or micromanaging things that could be overseen by team leaders, it takes merit out of the larger issues you do need to deal with. Reflect on the types of things you control and manage in your building, when you were a teacher would you have perceived any of those things as lack of trust? If so, think of a way to present it in a different light to your staff that makes them feel valued as the professionals they are.
Tip 5: Make Them Feel Valued
Make sure teachers feel like they have a voice, input, and role to play in the school. Teachers are more likely to buy into something they feel a part of or have a voice in! What things can they contribute to or take on? Are there committees they could chair or run that would contribute to making a positive change in the school? What things are they unhappy with, and how do they feel progress could be made? Take their thoughts and suggestions and see if there are any you could implement. They are going to be more willing to put in the hard work and effort if they feel like they are valued, respected, and appreciated!
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ MY TERMS OF USE POLICY FOR MORE INFO.
