LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals
Dignity in the Workplace
Optimising the School Working Environment
DONAL KERINS IPPN LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TEAM Schools are workplaces. Unfortunately, some have a culture of disrespect and hostility which mars the daily lives of those who work in them. Too many school leaders and staff members suffer from stress and anxiety as a result. This must stop. To be treated with dignity and respect is a basic human right. How can school leaders ensure an optimum working environment? My 20 years of school leadership lead me to believe that the following are important factors for consideration in this regard. APPRECIATION Human beings need to have their work recognised and they need encouragement. Leaders must provide that recognition, affirmation and encouragement. SUPPORT Staff need to know that their leaders will support them – realising, of course, that no one can defend the indefensible. They also need to know that, if they are in the wrong, their school leaders will point that out, but not publicly. Having a leader who supports staff builds trust. VISION V ETHOS Every school has a beautiful Vision Statement full of wonderful values, in its Plean Scoile. The difference between the vision and the ethos i.e. what the actual climate and working environment really is, can cause great distress to staff. School leaders must be constantly aware of that gap. Sometimes, the ethos and vision require re-alignment. This means facilitating staff to consider their values, the school vision and the reality of life in the school. Sometimes this is best done by engaging an outside facilitator. TEAMWORK It takes a team to successfully run a school. Leaders need to encourage 6
and develop teamwork among the staff, ensuring that teams have clearly defined goals and that team members develop trust and good communication to achieve them. A staff which is functioning in a secure and stable workplace, where they are accorded dignity and respect, will naturally respond with trust and cooperation, which is the basis of all teamwork.
Too many school leaders and staff members suffer from stress and anxiety… This must stop. To be treated with dignity and respect is a basic human right. FAIRNESS Nothing destroys teamwork faster than unfairness, or the perception of unfairness. A situation in which staff feel that they are not being treated fairly will result in lack of motivation, negative relationships, unethical behaviour or even destructive practices. Leaders must ensure fair opportunities, fair processes and fair communication for everybody. This means not only being fair, but being clearly seen to be fair. It is the individual staff member’s perception of fairness which influences their behaviour, regardless of whether or not that perception is accurate. Leaders should ensure that contentious issues such as class allocation andpromotion to posts of responsibility, are clearly covered by school policies or DE circulars. COMMUNICATION A fundamental requirement of leadership is to articulate a shared vision for the school community and to communicate this clearly. This depends on the leader’s communication skills, which must include active listening as well as broadcasting. We should
always monitor our communication, or lack of it, with staff. LEADERSHIP Unless you are prepared to ‘Walk the walk’, your staff will lose faith and trust in you. You must show that you truly believe in what you are saying; that the values you are espousing are truly your values. You must model the behaviour you want to see and communicate your ideas clearly to individuals and to the team. FUN Fun is one of the 5 basic human needs. The evidence that fun boosts productivity is compelling. A happy work environment means fewer sick days, harder work, and greater productivity. Individuals with a positive mind-set, are 31% more productive than those with a negative mind-set (according to a recent Harvard Business Review research article on positive intelligence*) – or even a neutral one. Fun also increases interaction among staff, enhances teamwork and fosters creativity. LINK
Donal.Kerins@ippn.ie
Dignity and Respec t in the School Workplace
Part 1 Meeting the Basic Needs of All Staff
Part 2 The Workplace Agreements and Codes which guide us
Part 3 The How, What and Why of developing your own DaW Charter / Policy