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