Keeping Our Teachers: Why Staff Wellbeing Is a Retention Strategy

Australian schools are facing a teacher workforce challenge that shows no sign of easing. The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, agreed by education ministers in 2022, was built around the reality that too many experienced teachers are leaving the profession faster than new ones can replace them. When researchers and surveys ask why, the same themes keep appearing: unsustainable workload, constant pressure, and the emotional weight of the job.

This matters well beyond staffing. Every time an experienced teacher leaves, a school loses relationships, expertise and stability, and students feel that loss most. International and Australian research has consistently linked teacher wellbeing with student wellbeing, engagement and learning. The Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey has also shown school leaders carrying high levels of stress and burnout, which flows through to whole staff cultures.

So what helps? Research on workplace mental health points in one direction: when staff have access to confidential, professional support that is easy to reach, the benefits tend to show up in morale, absenteeism and retention. An external service can be especially valuable in a school setting, because staff can speak openly without worrying about colleagues, hierarchy or reputation.

That support works best when the practitioner understands school life. At Greater Space, our practitioners are both teachers and counsellors. We know what term four feels like, and we know what it’s like to carry a class’s worries home. Supporting the people who show up for students every day is one of the most practical investments a school can make.