Are you getting enough? What leads to job satisfaction?

I’m not sure whether the headline grabbed your attention because it doesn’t seem to fit with the usual content of this fantastic magazine or it hit a raw nerve. It’s important that we talk about this important issue.

Teaching is really demanding. Jobs that work with people can be unpredictable. At times we can feel that we are at the mercy of other people’s moods. Whether it’s students, parents or colleagues, we never quite know what is going on in their lives. People can sometimes be unreasonable, emotional and erratic. At times that person might even be us.

We are constantly “on stage” in front of a demanding audience. We are expected to be engaging, entertaining, knowledgeable and effective.

It’s important that we are at the top of our game, can access, on-demand, reserves of energy, good humour and wisdom in equal measures.

So back to my original question, in light of all of this, are you getting enough – job satisfaction?

Six key factors determine job satisfaction:

People want to feel that their work is important. This should be a “no brainer” for educators. Our work is vitally important. We play a critical role in society. Most adults, when asked about what is important to them, reply that family and, in particular, their children are their highest priority. They are more valuable and important to them than their car or even their house. We are not only charged with the responsibility of looking after the safety and wellbeing of their most prized possession, we also expected to educate them and prepare them for the future.

Teachers also have a significant role in passing on and imposing community expectations. This aspect appears to be growing. Whilst parents are (and should be) their child’s first teacher, schools should be partners in setting and maintaining community standards and expectations.

Making a difference is the second key factor in job satisfaction. This factor should also be easily achieved by educators. Whilst at times we can feel frustrated that some students don’t achieve as much as we had hoped, we have the opportunity to make a difference each and every day.

There can be a LONG lead time between helping a student and seeing the difference that we made. One of the benefits of having taught for 20 years is that I often meet past students who say nice things about something that I had done for them. (Perhaps past students who wouldn’t have anything nice to say avoid running into me.) It can feel a bit like planting seeds that take a long time to shoot.

At times our students’ progress can appear to plateau. Even when learning is painstakingly incremental, each and every day we make a difference to the students and adults who we work with, through listening, showing concern, and helping them. We don’t work in mindless factories, making widgets. We work with people. We have an opportunity to make a difference every single day.

Being good at what you do is the third aspect of achieving a sense of job satisfaction. For many teachers, ticking this box can be difficult. Most teachers when asked, “Are you a good teacher?,” respond, “Yes I think so!” The vast majority of teachers receive little if any feedback. They continue to do what they have always done and presume that they are doing a good job. At times it can feel like we are operating in a void. Ninety-nine percent of teachers want to do a great job and are committed to continuous improvement. At the end of each lesson, we reflect on what worked, what didn’t and how we could tinker with the lesson for it to be more effective.

Being appreciated is also a factor that contributes to our sense of job satisfaction. All of us like to be appreciated. A pat on the back or a simple note of thanks is always welcome. At times it can feel that our work in schools is not appreciated. The difficult situations that we deal with, troubled students, cranky parents, and crashed IT systems, often go unnoticed. At times we can feel that nobody cares.

Whilst teachers don’t do their job for the thank you notes and small gifts that some receive at the end of the year, it can be a long time from March until the end of the year. It is important to treasure the small tokens of appreciation that we do receive. Collecting the little handwritten notes or cards in a folder can be helpful in times of despair.

A sense of belonging and feeling part of a team also contributes to our job satisfaction. Connecting with colleagues, developing friendships, and offering mutual support are all important and help us feel a sense of satisfaction. It is important that we venture to the staffroom to catch up with colleagues, let steam off, share strategies and offer support, especially when we are feeling stressed. Isolating ourselves in our classrooms, eating lunch alone, and working excessive hours are all counter-productive.

Schools provide an opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Engaging in school events and initiatives can lift our spirits, reenergize us and help us to see the big picture of what we are achieving.

Having some autonomy about our work is the final factor contributing to job satisfaction. People don’t like to be micro-managed. Whilst there are clear boundaries about what needs to be taught and when our lessons are timetabled, staff in schools generally have a lot of flexibility about how we do our work.