Staff Wellbeing: Key to Thriving Schools

US schools are struggling to keep staff who are experiencing high levels of burnout, financial stress, and low morale. Moreover, as health insurance costs skyrocket, many schools are cutting student programs and staff salaries, which adds to their staffing challenges.  

This poses a serious threat to schools, children, and communities. And with 55 percent of US educators saying they may leave the profession, schools must quickly address this epidemic of low wellbeing in their workplaces. Investing in whole-person wellbeing can effectively address these challenges.

On this podcast, Karyn Richmond, Wellness Coordinator of Sun Prairie Area School District, and Collisa Mahin, Wellness Coordinator of Duval County Public Schools, discuss how their schools foster a thriving workforce with evidence-based workplace wellbeing initiatives.

This podcast explores why investing in whole-person wellbeing is essential for fostering school staff wellbeing via a caring culture that cascades into the classroom and can meet school district human capital challenges, including:

• The top challenges facing US schools today
• How these challenges hinder schools’ ability to deliver curricula
• How schools can leverage wellbeing to meet workplace challenges
• Best practices from Returns On Wellbeing Institute research 
• Tactical steps for designing returns-oriented programs

Throughout the presentation, the speakers discuss how their wellness programs have created cultures of care that have reduced barriers to healthcare, addressed mental health issues, delivered measurable financial returns, and mitigated health insurance costs.