New survey shows mental health is below the benchmark in education and training

Workplace mental health in the education and training sector – a broad category which includes early childhood education and care (ECEC) – is tracking below the national benchmark in all five domains, a new survey from leading workplace mental health organisation SuperFriend has found. 

“Our research reveals that the education and training industry has a tremendous opportunity to enhance recognition practices. By prioritising constructive and immediate feedback, we can foster a culture of recognition where employees feel valued and appreciated, ultimately positively influencing their well-being and subsequent performance,” said SuperFriend CEO Darren Black. 

SuperFriend has identified five core domains as crucial aspects of mentally healthy workplaces: 

• Leadership
• Connectedness
• Safety
• Work Design
• Capability.

Professionals surveyed from the education and training sector were below par compared to other industries, with lower comparative scores especially evident in the ‘work design’ and ‘leadership’ domains.

The findings come from the 2022 Indicators of a Thriving Workplace survey, which explored a diverse sample of close to 10,000 Australian workers across 19 sectors and industries.  

The survey also evaluated industries based on several psychological hazards, including inappropriate workload, low recognition, poor change management, poor management support, and low job control. 

In the education and training space, the survey identified ‘low recognition’ and ‘inappropriate workload’ as the two psychosocial hazards with the greatest room for improvement.

Despite the less than stellar findings, the education and training sector outperformed the national averages in one key aspect – implementing formal policies against bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Over 60 per cent of the surveyed organisations within the sector had such policies in action, demonstrating the industry’s commitment to fostering safe and inclusive work environments.

Access the full report here. For more information about SuperFriend, please see here.