In almost all teacher staffing articles or posts, I see recruitment preferencing retention. It could be nothing more than the favoured ordering, like Starsky and Hutch or Tom and Jerry, but I think it is more than that. Here is why?
I had been consulting for a local school for just over a month, setting a course of school improvement, when a chance conversation tested my thinking. A dearth of contracted teaching staff and transient staffing generally, highlighted the need for a staff recruitment strategy. The observation that we need to urgently recruit effective staff was met with a rather frustrated, “and retain your current staff” from a respected and usually reserved member of staff listening on the fringe of the conversation.
This conversation left me with two reflections. Firstly, you can not take for granted those you have on your staff. Irrepsective of their ability and professional standing, these are the staff standing in front of the students. Second, how to create a culture where all staff are looking to develop their practice. A third point emerged from those first two reflections. How else to retain your staff and evaluate the impact of that investment?
Setting aside the scary mongering of a teacher crisis, this is a very real concerns for education. Though not equally distributed geographically or by subject. Record numbers of teachers are leaving, faster than ever before. The School Workforce statistics show that the rate of teachers leaving the profession has jumped to the highest level since 2011. In terms of teacher headcount, the proportion of teachers leaving is the highest since at least 2005. ITT routes into the professional are ‘confusing, contradictory and overwhelming’ at a time when pupil numbers are expected to accelerate. Undoubtedly, it will be progressively more and more difficult to provide educational excellence everywhere. Surely that’s just basic common sense, no? It is not all doom and gloom of course, where there are inconsistencies there are opportunities. Recruitment specialists and supply agencies business is booming (821m), unqualified staff and support staff numbers are rising.
Reward or recognition
Ironcially, as teachers and school leaders, we have all explored or experienced the vagrancies school reward systems? Applying rewards is not as simply as it seems and is most cetainly not an exact science. Without question, acculumated years of pay restraint, has reduced the financial rewards for teaching. Though shouldn’t we ask what motivates teachers before assuming it is pay? Perhaps even more contraversial, is recognition more important than reward? I say that because rewards are most often outcome driven and transactional whereas recognition focuses on behaviours and is relational. Are we seeking improved relationships, moving that fringe staff member away from the edge of departute? Recognition maybe the key to retention? Long term, it maybe the key to recruitment even?
Companies Schools with strong staff recognition programmes report a mean employee turnover rate that is 23.4% lower than the retention of companies schools without a recognition program number. A Corporate Leadership Council reported found that highly engaged organisations have the potential to reduce staff turnover by 87% and improve performance by 20%. Recognition improves the quality of work. Employees who are recognised and are highly engaged are 38% more likely to have “above average productivity.” Recognition creates a better brand awareness and 41% of companies which use “peer to peer” recognition have seen marked positive increases in customer satisfaction. In our case, pupil achievement and satisfaction. On average absenteeism in companies with effective recognition is 37% lower. Gallup found that engagement levels can be predictors of sickness absence, with more highly engaged employees taking an average of 2.7 days per year, compared with disengaged employees taking an average of 6.2 days per year. Companies with effective recognition outperform their peers by 147%.
Engaging and recognising staff
I am a Sir Dave Brailsford fan. Provide clear roles and clearly define vision. Ask what motivates them. Show your appreciation.
Define their role. By clearly defining a staff members’ role, you are providing context for their work and ensuring they feel a sense of purpose while at work. That is not Performance Management. By providing a clearly define vision, they will know why.
Before implementing any sort of reward scheme, we need to understand what motivates our staff. The simplest way is to ask them. Involve a diverse consultative group in the design of the programme. Reward is not recognition.
The very act of asking for their input can be a powerful catalyst for engagement, to motivate some staff to contribute more. For example, we have asked staff to contribute design ideas for the staff room and gather feedback from termly staff surveys.
We strategical look for ways to recognise excellence and outstanding performance or a sincere commitment to our school Ethos and Values. It is another way to promote “Commitment + Ownership + Responsibility” in the pursuit of “Excellence.” Another adaptation from Sir Dave Brailsford playbook.
The Recognition Recipe
Relevant. The reward being offered needs to appeal to all employees. Choice is an effective solution and vouchers schemes are common.
Little and often. Regular, lower value rewards have been shown to have a greater impact on productivity than large end of year incentives alone. Pay rewards do not always redeem long term performance improvements.
Awards need to be accessible to all. There is more to be gained by motivating middle tier staff than those already out-performing their peers. Peer-to-peer recognition rewards are as effective as management recognition.
Recognition programmes need to be low in administration costs.
HOW WILL THE governors KNOW IF IT IS A SUCCESS?
Improved termly retention figures. Reduce absentism. Improved staff survey ratings, parent and student satisfaction ratings. Pupil achievement. Mean absentism 7.9 days a year (Schoolworkforce Statistical First Release).
Quicker identification of low performing staff.
It is wholly plausible that, if we recognise and take better care of our staff, that we will retain our staff, invest less in recruitment and even attractive new staff.
Recruit, train, develop, retain – you’ll read. Retain, train, develop and recruit I say.
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