Improving Mental Health for Educators
April 1, 2025
Improving Mental Health for Educators
Working in education comes with its share of stress. Whether you’re in early childhood, primary, secondary, or tertiary, the demands of the job can take a toll. Without the right support in place for teacher wellbeing, high stress levels can lead to burnout and other negative impacts on mental health.
Teachers can quickly become less effective in their roles, take more sick leave and become less engaged. When teachers struggle, it impacts the whole school community.
But the reverse is also true. Happy teachers make for happy students. As education recruitment specialists, we often see how making teacher wellbeing a priority makes an organisation a great place to work.
We’ll unpack what the research tells us about stress in the Australian education sector and explore practical, evidence-based strategies to cultivate a healthier, happier workplace.
The State of Teacher Wellbeing in Australia
Work-related stress and mental health issues are unfortunately on the rise within the Australian education sector. Several surveys* have found the common causes of poor teacher wellbeing include:
- Increasing workloads & administrative pressures
- Poor resourcing and lack of support from leadership
- Emotional demands of teaching and challenging student behaviour
- Lack of work-life balance & professional recognition
(*Sources: ACER, Educational Research Review, Monash University)
Nearly half of Australian K–12 teachers report that 2025 has been the most stressful year of their careers, surpassing even the pandemic years, while many teachers struggle to find time for self-care, with 78% skipping it due to workload pressure, according to one survey.
A contributing factor is that children and teenagers in the classroom are also experiencing deteriorating mental health. With teachers increasingly taking on the challenge of providing emotional support to students, compassion fatigue and burnout is rising among educators.
Could more be done to tackle these issues, even with limited resources? We say ‘absolutely!’ With care and diligence, education leaders can implement teacher wellbeing strategies that will have positive knock-on effects for everyone.
How Schools Can Support Teacher Wellbeing
As specialists in education recruitment, we’ve noticed common areas that schools can focus on to make a meaningful difference, no matter their size and structure. As Monash University’s study found, teachers value feeling safe, supported, valued and trusted, alongside achieving work/life balance. These are seen as essential for sustaining wellbeing and job satisfaction.
Encourage Flexibility
Resources can limit flexible work arrangements to an extent, but it’s important to remember teachers have a life outside of work, too! Allowing teachers to share responsibilities or work more flexibly helps balance workloads when someone needs cover for a few hours or a day.
Make Time for Downtime
Create opportunities for teachers to schedule downtime throughout the week, to give them space for recharging their mental and physical batteries. This could involve blocking out ‘protected’ time, where teachers aren’t expected to attend meetings or do admin tasks. Offering flexible time slots for lesson prep and admin can also help teachers manage their schedules better.
Create a Sociable Workplace
The importance of social connections can’t be overstated! It helps to make the staff room a comfortable and welcoming place where teachers can unwind with their colleagues over a cuppa. Organising regular get-togethers for teaching staff is another way to help everyone build relationships outside of the classroom and avoid feeling left out.
Offer Mental Health Support and Resources
Can you or your colleagues confidently identify the signs of depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges in others? The signs that a colleague is experiencing poor mental health may not always be obvious. It’s wise to get staff trained on how to recognise symptoms of poor mental health, so they can take timely action when they spot red flags.
Giving teachers access to external mental health support or counselling is also essential. Sometimes, we worry we might be judged when we vent about our challenges at work. Having someone impartial to confide in can help teachers address their concerns without feeling like they’re being judged.
Aim for a Balanced Curriculum
A well-rounded curriculum benefits everyone. It gives teachers more manageable workloads and students breathing room for creativity and personal growth. The key is to help teachers avoid getting bogged down in creating detailed individual lesson plans. Instead, allow teachers to plan sequences of lessons over time.
Offer Pre-Service and Graduate Teacher Support
There is a growing focus on equipping new teachers with mental health strategies before they enter the workforce, to prevent burnout and support longevity in the profession. These are initiatives we fully support as education recruitment providers, as we understand how much of a difference they can make to people at the start of their education career!
What Education Leaders Can Do
If you’re managing teachers, it’s likely you need to put on your own oxygen mask, so to speak! Having a self-care routine is crucial for managing your wellbeing and being able to support others when they need it, too.
Regularly Switch Off from Work
… No guilt allowed! Guarding the time you have for healthy routines is essential for your long-term wellbeing, no matter your role. Whether it’s a long walk with your favourite podcast, a weekly yoga class, or a regular creative outlet, protecting your ‘me time’ allows you to reset and recharge.
Ask for Help When You Need It
Reaching out for support when you're struggling is not a sign of weakness. Your team are no strangers to challenges at work - they are more willing to help than you might expect! Whether it’s help with managing your workload, guidance with a tough classroom situation, or simply someone to talk to, speaking up encourages others to do the same. Seeking help early can prevent a small stress from escalating into a major one.
The Takeaway
By making teacher wellbeing a priority, schools find it easier to recruit teachers and retain them. Word tends to get around about schools with a supportive workplace, so if you’re struggling to hire teachers, consider how wellbeing policies can be used to grow your teaching team!
At Inspired Recruitment, we work closely with schools, centres and colleges across Australia to connect them with high-quality teaching talent. Whether you’re hiring now or planning ahead, let’s chat about how we can support your teacher recruitment needs - so you can stay focused on supporting your educators! Get in touch with us today
At Inspired Recruitment, primary and secondary education is our only focus. That matters in 2025, because the hiring market is not behaving the same way across Australia. What a school in metro Melbourne is dealing with can look very different to a school in regional Queensland, Perth’s growth corridors, or remote NT. This overview pulls together the most credible national and system-level data available for 2025, then translates it into what it means for schools hiring teachers and leaders right now. The national teaching workforce in 2025 Australia’s teaching workforce remains large and highly experienced. According to the Australian Teacher Workforce Data , more than 550,000 teachers are registered nationally, with the majority working in primary and secondary schools. Over two thirds of teachers have more than ten years of experience, providing depth, leadership and continuity across classrooms. Despite this, workforce availability remains uneven. National reporting from the Australian Department of Education teacher workforce data continues to highlight shortages across multiple jurisdictions, particularly in secondary education, specialist subject areas and leadership roles. The workforce exists, but competition for the right candidates is strong. Teacher shortages remain uneven but widespread In 2025, teacher shortages are not a single national issue with a single cause. Instead, they tend to cluster around specific roles and locations. Across states and territories, shortages are most evident in: secondary specialist subjects middle and senior leadership roles regional, remote and hard-to-staff schools International comparisons referenced through OECD-referenced analysis on Australian teacher shortages show Australia performing poorly against comparable systems when it comes to staffing pressure in disadvantaged and regional schools. For schools, this often translates into longer vacancy periods, reduced candidate pools and greater competition for experienced teachers and school leaders. How workforce pressure differs across states and territories While shortages exist nationally, their impact varies depending on geography and market size. In larger states such as New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, high population density and workforce mobility create constant movement between schools. This drives ongoing demand, particularly for secondary teachers and leadership roles, even when overall teacher numbers appear strong. In Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, workforce pressure is more closely tied to geography. Schools outside major centres frequently recruit nationally for experienced teachers and leaders, increasing competition and extending hiring timelines. Smaller jurisdictions face different dynamics. The Australian Capital Territory experiences high workforce mobility, often influenced by cross-border movement, while the Northern Territory continues to experience some of the most significant recruitment and retention challenges nationally, particularly in remote communities. These trends are consistently reflected in national workforce reporting through the Australian Department of Education teacher workforce data . Retention is the defining issue of 2025 While attraction remains important, retention has become the defining workforce issue for primary and secondary schools this year. Career intention data published through the Australian Teacher Workforce Data reports shows a significant proportion of teachers remain uncertain about staying in the profession long term. Early career teachers are particularly vulnerable, with many reassessing their future within the first five years. In response, schools across all states and territories are placing greater emphasis on leadership support, realistic workload expectations, and clearer career development pathways. Leadership supply and succession planning Leadership remains one of the most challenging areas to recruit sustainably. Many schools report difficulty attracting heads of department, deputies and principals, even when classroom teaching roles can be filled. This pressure is reflected in broader AITSL school leadership research , which highlights the importance of strong leadership pipelines and structured support for aspiring leaders. A positive signal for the future workforce There are encouraging signs emerging on the supply side. Recent federal announcements point to an increase in applications and offers into teacher education programs, signalling renewed interest in teaching careers. This trend is outlined in new national data on teaching course applications . While this will not resolve workforce challenges immediately, it is an important indicator for longer-term planning. What this means for schools and educators in 2025 Across Australia, the data points to consistent themes: teacher shortages remain uneven but widespread secondary and leadership roles are the hardest to fill regional schools face sustained recruitment pressure retention strategies are critical to workforce stability For schools, this means recruitment decisions need to be informed, strategic and aligned with long-term outcomes. For teachers and school leaders, it reinforces the value of finding roles that align with values, career goals and wellbeing. How Inspired Recruitment supports schools nationally Inspired Recruitment specialises exclusively in primary and secondary education recruitment across Australia. We work with classroom teachers, middle leaders and senior school leadership across all states and territories. Our approach combines national workforce insight with real-world education experience, giving educators a genuine voice while helping schools hire with confidence. Because recruitment done well does more than fill a role. It strengthens school communities and supports better outcomes for students. If you are hiring in 2026 or considering your next move in primary or secondary education, Inspired Recruitment can support the process with insight, care and clarity. Get in touch to start a conversation.
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The role of teachers in Australian primary and secondary schools is changing faster than ever. It’s not just about standing at the front of the classroom and delivering content anymore. Expectations, responsibilities and even the skills required are changing for teaching jobs. Influences like technology, student well-being, and broader educational reforms are reshaping what it means to teach today. So, beyond ticking the boxes of teacher skills assessments, what are schools really looking for and what are the key teaching skills in demand? Personalised and Student-Centred Learning One of the biggest changes is the move towards personalised learning. No two students are the same, and schools are recognising that. Teachers are now encouraged to use adaptive digital platforms that adjust lessons to suit each student’s pace, especially in literacy and numeracy. But it doesn’t stop with software. Project-based and inquiry-based learning are on the rise, too. These are approaches that put students in the driver’s seat and help them develop critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. The role of the teacher is more of a facilitator and coach, than a one-size-fits-all instructor. Technology and Digital Tools As we’ve learned from the pandemic, technology has a major role to play in supporting education. Today’s teachers are expected to easily incorporate digital tools into their classrooms, such as interactive learning platforms like Mathletics and Reading Eggs and AI-powered assessment tools . Plus, the ability to shift between in-person, remote, and hybrid teaching is now one of the key teaching skills in demand. Digital literacy is now as fundamental as lesson planning. More Focus on Student Well-Being Teaching has always been about more than academics, but in recent years student well-being has become a central part of the role. Teachers are increasingly seen as frontline supporters of mental health, emotional resilience and social development for their students. Flexible curricula and new approaches to schooling are designed to address diverse student needs, especially important after the disruptions of the last few years. Add to that the growth of home schooling and alternative models, and teachers are now finding new ways to keep students engaged outside the traditional classroom. Emphasis on Professional Growth Gone are the days when professional development was an occasional in-service day with the same PD plan for every teacher. Teachers are now expected to engage in ongoing, self-directed learning, often delivered online and suited to their own professional goals. National standards also encourage teachers to reflect, set goals, and keep their skills sharp, particularly when it comes to digital teaching and adapting to new learning environments. The message is clear: a great teacher never stops learning. Changing Workforce Opportunities While more people are enrolling in teaching courses, retention is still a challenge. High workloads and changing expectations can make it tough to keep good teachers in the classroom. This is especially true in regional schools and for STEM subjects, where shortages remain pressing. At the same time, new initiatives have emerged to provide support for people in teaching jobs, such as the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan , the Engaged Classrooms Initiative , and Teach for Australia’s programs . These are aimed at helping ease teacher workloads, provide better support and create career development pathways. How the Teacher Skill Set Is Evolving At a glance, these are the factors influencing teaching skills in demand:
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