Australia’s high school teachers are topping the charts in taking sick leave, averaging 8 per year and ranking highest across all industries.
The figures, from Employment Hero’s 2024 Wellness at Work report, follows a separate study by Engage Education revealing that 50% of Australian report being very or extremely stressed and were considering another profession. A staggering 60% identified heavy workloads as the main cause of their extreme stress.
Meanwhile, the education and training sector as a whole reportedly delay taking annual leave longer than any other industry, working an average of 82 days before their first leave.
When teachers feel they can’t step away, it could hinder their ability to recharge and perform at their best, the researchers behind Employment Hero’s annual leave data point out.
“It’s basically just promoting hustle culture, but at the expense of students and the quality of their education and experience with teachers,” they wrote.
This ‘never stop’ mentality in education can make taking leave feel like neglecting responsibilities, particularly during critical academic periods. Plus, the administrative burden of covering absent teachers often discourages schools from facilitating leave, creating a ripple effect across staff.”
What can be done?
Employment Hero head of people and culture Liam D’Ortenzio says while the data is alarming, there are effective steps that schools can take.
“Our report reveals that 66% of Australian workers experienced burnout in the past three months and 85% reported regular workplace stress, so schools must consider adopting support systems that prioritise wellbeing,” D’Ortenzio told The Educator.
“These might include multi-faceted Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), resilience training, subsidised wellbeing apps, and practical mindfulness resources.”
Additionally, says D’Ortenzio, engagement surveys can help identify areas of concern and opportunities for improvement, and allows leaders to address them accordingly.
“Flexible work arrangements, shown to improve work-life balance for 63% of remote workers, should be explored where possible - time scheduled for non-teaching tasks, for example,” he said.
“It is important to focus on fostering a guilt-free leave culture, where rest and balance is normalised which can further support teachers in maintaining their mental health.”
With poor work-life balance impacting 57% of workers, and financial stress compounding burnout for 34%, D’Ortenzio said a proactive approach is advised for creating balance in the workplace for teachers to avoid increased sick days and delayed leave taking.
“School leaders can proactively address these challenges by creating a relief teacher pool and cross-training staff to manage gaps efficiently to reduce the prevalence of delayed leave taking,” he said.
“Leveraging digital tools to streamline different teaching and admin tasks can reduce stress significantly.”
D’Ortenzio said it is critical that leadership models behaviours of encouraging “regular, guilt-free breaks” to reduce guilt and stress around maintaining balance.
“Positive workplace relationships, valued by 81% of employees, can be fostered through peer recognition programs and team-building initiatives, ensuring teachers feel appreciated and supported while navigating workforce productivity challenges.”
The Employment Hero 2024 Wellness at Work report found while 66% of employees experience burnout, positive workplace culture reduces leave-taking and improves engagement.
D’Ortenzio said schools can create clear, flexible leave policies that normalise guilt-free breaks, with options like staggered or half-day leave.
“Cross-training staff to cover critical teaching roles ensures continuity and minimises disruptions when team members need to take leave,” he said, adding that leaders can encourage openness through weekly or fortnightly one-on-one check-ins.
“Leaders can also implement Happiness Surveys to keep a finger on the pulse across the organisation. Promoting a sense of belonging, which improves productivity and reduces burnout, further ensures that leave policies enhance both teacher wellbeing and student outcomes.”