• 22 min
Episode 3: Empowering Educators: Six Keys to Success
Wake Up and Teach
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Creating a supportive and empowering work environment is essential to attract, engage, and retain top talent in education. In a recent episode of Wake Up and Teach, Nicola Soares, President of Kelly Education, and Amy Bouque, Chief People Officer at Kelly, discussed strategies for achieving this. Their conversation centered around the "Six Elements of People Success" framework: purpose, growth, clarity, well-being, empowerment, and connection. These elements are foundational for building resilient teams and fostering meaningful change in education.
Understanding the Six Elements of People Success
Amy Bouque highlighted the importance of these six elements, supported by data from Glint, a tool used by Kelly to gauge employee engagement. These six drivers are crucial for enhancing workplace satisfaction and productivity. Connection: Building strong relationships among staff members and creating a sense of belonging enhances collaboration and resilience.
- Purpose: While education is inherently purpose-driven, focusing solely on purpose isn’t enough. Leaders must integrate the remaining five elements to create a well-rounded and supportive environment.
- Growth: Offering professional development opportunities and creating pathways for career advancement are essential for teacher satisfaction and retention.
- Clarity: Clear communication about roles, responsibilities, and goals fosters trust and alignment within teams.
- Well-being: Addressing physical and psychological safety is fundamental, particularly in high-stress environments like teaching.
- Empowerment: Trusting educators with autonomy to make decisions and innovate fosters a sense of ownership and creativity.
- Connection: Building strong relationships among staff members and creating a sense of belonging enhances collaboration and resilience.
Practical Strategies for Schools and Districts
One helpful strategy is to prioritize well-being. Teaching is one of the most stressful professions, and well-being is often overlooked. To address this, Amy suggests creating comprehensive wellness programs, including mental health counseling, stress management workshops, and employee assistance programs. Offering mental health days and reshaping sick leave policies, as seen in organizations like Kelly and Microsoft, can help normalize and address mental health challenges.
Foster Empowerment
Another great strategy can be fostering empowerment. Empowerment hinges on trust and autonomy. Leaders should adopt a mindset of curiosity and openness, approaching issues with the assumption of positive intent. Empowering teachers with the autonomy to innovate and co-create solutions fosters a collaborative and trusting environment.
During the pandemic, many educators experienced an unprecedented level of autonomy. Re-establishing this empowerment in the post-pandemic era is essential to rebuild trust and confidence among educators.
Strengthen Connection
A third option is to strengthen connection. Connection is the glue that holds teams together. Creating opportunities for collaboration across grades, departments, or even schools can spark joy and innovation. Simple practices like starting meetings with check-ins or engaging in team-building activities can foster a sense of belonging. Schools can also model connection by encouraging teachers to collaborate and share best practices, which has a ripple effect on students and the broader school community.
The Power of Small, Intentional Changes
Many of the strategies discussed are low-cost yet high-impact, making them accessible even for schools facing tight budgets. As Amy noted, the cumulative effect of small actions—like creating mindfulness spaces or recognizing achievements—can lead to significant improvements in workplace satisfaction and performance.
By focusing on the Six Elements of People Success, schools and districts can create environments where educators feel supported, empowered, and connected. This not only benefits teachers but also drives student success, making it a win-win for all stakeholders in education. For more actionable insights on building a resilient education workforce, listen to Wake Up and Teach.
Click here to listen to the entire episode of Wake Up And Teach, presented by Kelly Education.