I recently came across an article with above title. It discusses the government’s latest efforts to attract more people to teaching through new incentives. However, the focus on ‘lie-ins’ in the headline feels frustrating and misguided.

Misconceptions about teacher workloads

It trivialises the very real challenges that teachers face. When discussions about teachers’ workloads arise, society often defaults to the ‘long holidays’ argument, overlooking the daily pressures and relentless intensity of the school term. I remember how, during my teaching years, my body would finally succumb to illness as soon as the holidays began and I finally started to unwind.

A personal perspective: my experience as a teacher

Teaching now feels like a different lifetime. I vividly recall the exhaustion of late nights spent planning lessons – there just simply wasn’t the time during the day. The school day was a constant rush—teaching non-stop (and often covering for others in your free periods), darting between classrooms, setting up, presenting, managing, and engaging. At times, it was invigorating, but often, it was utterly draining.

When I transitioned into the business world, I was astounded by how much time people seemed to have to do their jobs. They would stroll into meetings fashionably late, unhurried and unburdened, nursing a cappuccino – purchased elsewhere (yes, they were even allowed to leave the building!). I realised then that my perspective was skewed—I was so accustomed to operating at 100 mph and working late into the night that anything less seemed not like “real” work.

The importance of employee engagement in education

Despite my dedication as a teacher, I never felt truly engaged or supported. Now, with years of experience in employee engagement, I can clearly see why.

Back then, ‘employee engagement’ wasn’t a term I was familiar with. I didn’t understand the importance of feeling empowered, recognised, and connected—elements crucial for any professional to thrive. In teaching, the opposite was often true. I felt trapped, unable to leave the school building even during lunchtime. The lack of autonomy was stifling, making me feel more like a child than a professional adult.

The ‘parent-child’ ego states in schools

This is a classic example of what Transactional Analysis theory describes as a ‘Parent-Child’ dynamic, where rigid structures and micromanagement replace trust and autonomy. Unfortunately, many schools operate within this culture, leaving teachers feeling undervalued and infantilised.

It’s ironic to look back now and realise that this lack of agency—something I now know as a key driver of employee engagement—was the very thing that made me disengage. I became rebellious (in an ‘adapted’ child ego state), resisting the constraints imposed on me, which made me feel inhibited and, at times, quite resentful.

This experience has given me a unique perspective as I’ve transitioned into the world of employee engagement. I’ve since come to understand what makes employees stay and what drives them to leave.

At Understood, we talk a lot about the four pillars of employee engagement: Human Connection, Empowerment, Recognition, and Meaning…

The four pillars of engagement: where schools fall short

Reflecting on my time as a teacher, it’s clear to me now that many teachers are missing all four. Here’s how:

• Human Connection? Teachers can feel isolated and unsupported, with little opportunity for genuine collaboration or friendship-building with colleagues. There simply isn’t enough time. Office workers joke about water-cooler conversations…but in the world of teaching, these would  NEVER happen. You barely have enough time to go to the toilet!
• Empowerment? Almost non-existent. Teachers are often constricted by endless rules, paperwork, and expectations, leaving no room for personal growth or innovation.
• Recognition? The hours teachers put in and the efforts they make often go unacknowledged, let alone celebrated.
• Meaning? While teachers often find purpose in teaching students, the broader organisational context can make it difficult to feel that their contributions are valued in a meaningful way.

A call to action: supporting teachers beyond incentives

Reading about teachers leaving the profession now saddens me because I was one of them. As the parent of secondary school-aged children, I’m more aware than ever of how essential teachers are in shaping young lives. From both an employee engagement perspective and my own experience, I can’t stress enough how important it is to make teachers feel valued—not just through pay, but with genuine support, agency, and empowerment.

The idea of offering teachers a later start one day a week is a fantastic step in the right direction. It gives teachers the chance to catch up on life, whether that’s exercising, taking their kids to school, or simply putting a load of washing on. These small pockets of time can make a big difference to wellbeing. But if we’re serious about retaining passionate and dedicated teachers, we need more innovative and thoughtful approaches like this to support their complex and demanding roles.

Applying employee engagement principles across sectors

This focus on engagement and support is something I now apply in my role at Understood, where we design bespoke learning content and training programmes to engage learners and make content accessible and impactful. My experience in teaching helps me create training that resonates with people, just as I strived to do in my classroom.

Understanding what drives people—whether they’re teachers or professionals in other fields—is at the heart of what we do. That’s why I believe true engagement goes far beyond just incentives. It’s about creating environments where people feel valued, respected, and empowered to give their best every day.