What do you do when staff morale is so low that even the men are frequently on the edge of tears?

[janeite]

Wondered about changing my name for this but hey ho. Staff morale is very, very low lately. I seem to be in tears at least once a fortnight (very unlike me: am usually a coper and a do-er and a supportive shoulder to others), two other memebers of staff were in bits last week. Male colleagues also close to tears much of the time. Everybody feels judged and useless and as though nothing we do is ever, ever good enough.

Lots of us are struggling to sleep, or waking up early in the morning in a cold sweat, or having nightmares. People are making semi-serious comments about going to the doctor, wishing they could break an arm to get away for a while. The workload is practically intolerable.

I'm not sure what I want but if anybody has any wise words, they would be very much appreciated.

Oh no, janeite. Who do you all feel judged by?

Best not go into details as it is a loooooooong story (and probably too recognisable). But thank you so much for your concern. Those little blue faces look so cute, don't they?

Have you talked to your Chair of Governors? I am one - I'd hate to think any of our staff would feel like you do. Has a staff well-being survey been carried out recently (your Chair will know)? What came out of that? Ask the Chair when it was discussed - how are the Governors monitoring well-being? If they're not, they bloody should be.

Roll on the summer holidays.

They do look cute.

You must constantly remind yourself that you're a fabster. (Have always liked you as your favourite name is Marianne, which is my baby's name)

Oh you sweetheart. Thank you so much. Good god - am nearly crying now.

Staff well-being survey hasn't been carried out for a few years, although we have asked for it. Some of us have spoken to governors. They were sympathetic but....

Oh janeite, I'm so sorry to hear this.

I know that major stuff like a round of redundancies can take months before the shadow lifts. And this sounds much more awful.

Is there any prospect of things improving? Is there any part of the work that is going well?

Is everything ok outside of work? It's seriously important to see have lots of quality time with people you love and do things you enjoy when things are shitty at work, ime.

Go back to them. Go to the Chair. I'm feeling livid on your behalf - you shouldn't have to be feeling this stressed. I know it's a relentless job but you should be supported all the way.

All okay outside of work, thank goodness.

Some things are going well and in my heart I know I am bloody good at what I do and so are my colleagues - none of it ever seems enough, though.

I would be very surprised if you are not a very talented teacher. You are clearly passionate about your subject and your job- it honestly shines through in your posts. (Not a stalker or anything, promise, but a long term mumsnetter and always notice and admire your posts). That means you are likely to be making a massive difference to the children you teach, which is the whole point of your job really. Screw parents and senior management and ofsted. And even in chaotic environments where children don't always behave well they remember and respect the good teachers forever. Important not to lose sight of that, I reckon.

How about sticking up a board somewhere with a marker pen and a header saying 'Today I did well because...' and get everyone to write stuff on it? Just so that they focus on a good thing a day, even for the few seconds that they are writing it down? And take a picture of the board (on a phone?) at the end of each day?

Ridiculous small cosmetic stuff I know, but just to try and help the staff remember they ARE good, they DO do stuff that makes a difference, and that their colleagues do too?

Sorry to hear this Janeite. I have been in this situation too. I only realised when one night I was watching Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare's where it was a particularly ailing restaurant. Gordon took all the staff out into the carpark and asked them if anyone still wanted to be working there in six months time and not one of them did. I realised then that this was exactly how the morale was in my workplace.

I really didn't want to but I ended up being signed off by the doctor for three weeks with work-related stress and anxiety - DH made me go to the doctor when he found me crying in the bathroom one morning feeling unable to go in. This gave me time to collect my thoughts and realise that I had to look for a new job (I'd been in that job 7 years). I did find a new job and it turned out I hated it too, but it was the job that got me out of that job and a sort of stepping stone. I changed job again a year later and now have a job I love - ok it is stressful and frustrating at times but it is definitely right for me and life is much better

Sorry this is long but what I'm trying to say is life's too short to stay in an awful job. Would looking elsewhere be an option for you? And if things are really really bad getting signed off does not mean you're a failure (although I realise it's nearly summer holidays for you so this might give you enough of a break to get some perspective on the situation?)

for you

Thank you all so much, again.

I need to do some serious thinking and decide how much the highs (the pupils, my colleagues) can counteract the lows (everything else) and decide just how much crap I am prepared to put up with, or not.

Thank you so much for your thoughts, ideas and kind words.

Oh Janeite, I so hoped this wasn;t your thread, but I guessed it might be.

No advice, but I know things have not been good for a long time now. All I could do in similar situation is to find something else, I'm sorry.
Much love.

I'm not far from where you are, janeite.

One thing that works quite well for me is to do something resolutely Not School at a weekend when I feel like this - just make a decision that THIS week the marking etc can go bugger itself sideways, & go out with family/non-teacher mates.

There just comes a point when you're too tired & wretched to be productive, & you NEED a firebreak.

Thank you both. The worst thing is, we all still absolutely love the pupils and don't want to leave because of them. When I'm in the classroom, I'm happy. The mark load is okay and do-able. It is the inabaility to ever please those 'at the top' that is the problem.

I have been out for a lovely lunch today and have no intention of doing any work at all this weekend.

And I am desperately trying to accept that being 'good enough' might just have to do now.

Is it those 'at the top' in your school or those 'at the top' LA/ OFSTED.

Hearing loads of problems with morale due to OFSTED lately.

Not Ofsted. Tbh, I think I'd actually quite welcome them!

Going off sick is absolutely not an option. I am not sick; I'm fine - just not very happy!

You know, I read your first post and thought 'teacher'. So many schools have horrific morale problems. It is awful to not want to go to work in the morning and it is easy for teachers to feel criticised and unsupported because of the constant, intense scrutiny they are under. I don't think people outside the profession really understand - I know I didn't before I started. Head teachers can make that worse, or better depending on their style. I am lucky. Mine is supportive and monitors our work without making us feel constantly under fire. I know others who are constantly on their staff's back. I have nothing to offer but sympathy, which is really no help at all.

But thank you for it anyway.

lifeissweet I don't know the OP and also immediately assumed she was a teacher

..and I'm not even a teacher