Amid Budget Cutbacks, How Can We Maintain Staff Morale?

In this economy, we've had to find more and more ways to save money and extend our resources. Unfortunately, the most effective and immediate ways to save are to reduce staff positions, slash budgets, increase teacher responsibilities, and increase class sizes.

Many of our staff members have volunteered to take on extra responsibilities and assignments. Because they are grateful to simply have a job, they have been as positive as one can imagine. However, the reality of their upcoming responsibilities and challenges is setting in, and many are feeling overwhelmed. The end result--staff morale is down in the dumps.

What can we as a school and district do to improve staff  morale?

--Dan Weckstein, Principal, Oakwood Junior High School, Dayton, Ohio 

A few years ago, our district faced massive budget cuts. Our grade 7-8 school lost 17 staff members, our class sizes were pushing 40, and extracurricular activities were eliminated. Morale among the surviving staff was at an all-time low. 

In the fall our students arrived--as always, full of hope and excitement. We knew that the upcoming school year would be particularly difficult for us, but our students had only one chance to experience middle school. As a staff, we decided to make an intentional effort to remain positive and provide our students with a great year. 

We adopted the mindset that we were all in it together, and that maintaining a positive attitude was crucial to fulfilling our commitment to students as well as to own emotional survival. Throughout the year, we arranged staff social events. We went to ball games, had movie nights, and held backyard barbeques. We made a point to laugh as well as commiserate. 

Our situation eventually improved, and many of the cuts were restored.  Although we never regained all we had lost, we did gain something from the experience. We talked more, laughed more, and got to know each other better. We supported one another through a difficult time, and in the process built a more supportive team and positive school environment.

Like many schools, it appears that we again face rough financial times.  Although we know it won't be easy, we also know from experience that we can weather the storm by remembering we're all in it together and making the choice to remain positive.

--Scott Herrmann, Principal, Gemini Junior High School, Niles, Ill.

 

Your dilemma, Dan, is one many of us have encountered.  When I became assistant principal at my school, morale was at a rock-bottom low. We started by determining the root cause of staff unhappiness. Survey data indicated that feeling unappreciated was the key problem. What staff wanted the most was to know that their extra efforts were not going unnoticed. They didn’t mind doing more; they simply wanted a thank you. 

We initiated the "Big Brown Triple Crown" award to acknowledge staff members for going above and beyond. Two or three staff members are selected monthly and recognized at a staff meeting. They receive a stuffed representation of our colt mascot--a huge hit! 

We also set up a "From the Horse's Mouth" board in our teachers' lounge. Staff members write comments and expressions of appreciation to their colleagues on small slips of paper.  Monthly, we compile the comments and share them with all via email.   

Finally and most significantly, we've created a positive environment through the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS). Students and staff work together to focus on our core expectations of respect, responsibility, and caring. The results have been dramatic. Student discipline is down, achievement is up, and teachers feel validated that all their hard work is making a difference in the lives of their students. For a teacher, that’s often the best morale booster of all.

--Lori Mora, Assistant Principal, Deer Valley Middle School, Phoenix, Ariz.

 

Last year, when faced with many of these same issues, I felt it was important to communicate and foster the notion of team support. I continually--and I mean continually--asked my staff what I could do to support them. More often than not, they just wanted someone to listen to their challenges, recognize their efforts, and celebrate their successes. I increased my efforts to make teachers feel appreciated, including personal handwritten notes, e-mails, public recognition at staff meetings, giving staff an extra jeans day, and having more treat days in the lounge. (Little things go a long way in boosting staff morale!) 

We have learned that it's not just money (although that’s nice) that gives teachers efficacy and satisfaction in their work. I found that the best way to deal with the budget reductions was to involve everyone in making choices. When given the responsibility of making purchasing decisions, teachers rose to the occasion. They came to me with needs versus wants, and everyone generally had their needs met. There were times when I too felt drained, like I couldn’t be a cheerleader any more and I needed my own personal cheerleader. Persevere! Increase your support, don't forget recognition, and share the decision   making. Tough times can be weathered without bringing down the staff.

--Doreen Knuth, Principal, Bloomer Elementary, Council Bluffs, Iowa

 

Certainly there are lots of ways to help people feel better about where they work--from offering food at meetings, to supporting after-school get-togethers, to making a point of acknowledging individual faculty achievements. All of these are beneficial. But these activities are just a beginning. Leaders should focus on faculty collegiality.

Frederick Herzberg's classic motivation-hygiene theory points out that while comforts and security are necessary to happiness at work, real job satisfaction comes from being able to exercise creative juices in finding solutions. Leaders can foster these feelings of achievement by organizing teachers and administrators so that they learn with and from one another. This is Roland Barth's definition of collegiality.

Sure, people will come together and complain about burdens (and administrators!), and that's understandable, but by focusing on collegiality and forming a team, we increase the likelihood that everyone will succeed. Initial victories are especially important in difficult times, so it's wise to not just focus on the hoped-for results in the spring but also on students' achievements this month and this week,   maybe tomorrow. Success breeds success!

--Tom Hoerr, Head of School, New City School, St. Louis, Miss.

 

The economic crisis is worldwide, and we have all suffered the effects of staff reduction and scarce budgets. Here in Argentina, we have gone through these side effects several times. Of course, the result can be low staff morale.

As a school or district, we cannot change the economy. But we can help staff feel better. The heads at St. Andrews Scots work to create a sense of belonging to a team. We have intensified the interaction among the staff and made sharing and support important values. We have established routines in which teachers share with their peers new techniques they have implemented in the classroom. Other teachers feel that they are being exposed to valuable experience, which is not taken from a book but given to them by their own colleagues. This has a ripple effect as we have everybody try out the new ideas in their own classrooms. This collaborative interaction among staff has created a relaxed atmosphere. Teachers no longer feel threatened by having others walk into the classrooms to observe a class being delivered.

In addition to creating a sense of belonging, there's nothing like a bit of pampering. Although it sounds simple, just bringing some cookies or brownies to have with coffee in the staff room can make teachers feel pampered. Walking into a classroom and taking over every now and then so the teacher can catch up with corrections is a way to make things better, too.

--Patsy Poullier, Deputy Head, Primary, St. Andrews's Scots School, Buenos Aires, Arg.

 

Each month in Educational Leadership's "Among Colleagues" column, practicing educators will draw from their own experience to share advice about challenges their colleagues face. This month's participants are some of the 2010 ASCD Annual Conference Scholars.