According to The Cambridge Dictionary, well-being is the ‘state of feeling healthy and happy.’
The WHO goes further, saying:
“Well-being is a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic and environmental conditions. Well-being encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose.”
So what does that actually look like?
When I look around at my tutoring centre, I see smiles and laughter.
Everyone is relaxed, calm and engaged purposefully in what they are doing.
It makes my heart sing.
If my tutors or the children are unwell or would like to do something else that day, they can cancel with no guilt attached.
In fact I’ll wish them a good time!
If someone is struggling with an emotional or mental issue, we find a quiet space or walk the dog and talk it through.
If necessary, I’ll suggest an external organisation from my network who could help them further.
I thought all places were like this. Apparently not.
So what can you do about it?
There’s no quick fix, but there are certainly strategies to put in place and a change of mindset is paramount on an individual and a community level.
Here are a few ideas:
- Change your thinking from numbers, people filling slots, percentages and data to actual human beings who will thrive in the right environment. Use the analogy of tending to a plant.
- Listen. And really listen with your full attention. Make sure there are real channels of communication available. A crammed staff meeting agenda doesn’t allow for this. If people are unhappy, there’s almost always something you can do.
- Address workload issues. What can you do as a staff to make these manageable? Make time to talk and discuss. What can work in your school?
Doughnuts on a Friday will always go down well, but a systematic approach is needed to make certain that all your staff feel valued, supported, seen and heard.
Healthy and happy staff = a better place for children to flourish.