Publications

Publications including "burnout"

5 Reasons Schools Should Prioritise Staff Wellbeing
Jun 2025

5 Reasons Schools Should Prioritise Staff Wellbeing

Investing in staff wellbeing in schools delivers benefits that extend far beyond individual staff members.
Understanding the Burnout Continuum
Apr 2025
Beat Teacher Burnout Podcast

Understanding the Burnout Continuum

Discussing the Burnout Continuum with Rowena Hicks
The Pressures of School Leadership
Mar 2025
Still Human Podcast

The Pressures of School Leadership

Why are so many school leaders burning out and what can we do to stop it? Dr Helen Kelly shares hard truths and practical solutions.
Wellbeing is About the Small Things
Dec 2023
The Assistant Principal Podcast

Wellbeing is About the Small Things

How can school leaders make changes to the school environment to help prevent staff burning out?
Does your school have a culture of overwork?
Sep 2023
School Management Plus

Does your school have a culture of overwork?

Dr Helen Kelly looks at why many schools see 'working hard' as the central measure of an educator's value - and why this is counterproductive
Burnout as a Condition of the Workplace
Jul 2023
The Assistant Principal Podcast

Burnout as a Condition of the Workplace

Discussing how burnout is not a condition of the individual but of the environment in which we work.
How to avoid school leader burnout
Jun 2023
International School Leader

How to avoid school leader burnout

While the wellbeing of students and staff has climbed the agenda since the pandemic, the wellbeing of school leaders is still a low priority.
Educator Wellbeing and Burnout
Jun 2023
The Edusalon

Educator Wellbeing and Burnout

Deborah Netolicky talks with Dr Helen Kelly about educator wellbeing and burnout.
How to Avoid Burnout
May 2023
ISLECIS Loft Live

How to Avoid Burnout

Discussing what educators can do to maximise their workplace wellbeing and avoid burnout.
Causes of Educator Burnout
Feb 2023
International Schools Podcast

Causes of Educator Burnout

Talking with John Mikton about the causes of educator burnout
Being Strategic About Wellbeing
Jan 2023
The Wonders of Wellbeing

Being Strategic About Wellbeing

Talking about the importance of taking a strategic approach to bring meaningful improvement to staff and student wellbeing.
What is Educator Burnout?
Jan 2023
International Schools Podcast

What is Educator Burnout?

Discussing learnings from my research on how schools should approach employee wellbeing.
Is Underfunding and Staff Burnout Creating a Global Crisis in Special Education?
Oct 2022

Is Underfunding and Staff Burnout Creating a Global Crisis in Special Education?

Underfunding in a high-burnout profession is impacting staff recruitment and retention globally. Ultimately, pupils and their families are being failed by the system.
Teacher Burnout: Is Workload the Elephant in the Room or Just a Tick Box?
Oct 2022

Teacher Burnout: Is Workload the Elephant in the Room or Just a Tick Box?

Studies show that workload is the single biggest contributor to the burnout of teaching staff in schools.  Yet despite increasing interest in improving the wellbeing of staff, many schools seem reluctant to address workload effectively.
Why Schools Should do More to Improve Workplace Culture
Sep 2022

Why Schools Should do More to Improve Workplace Culture

Research from around the world shows that staff working in schools have lower levels of wellbeing and higher levels of burnout than the general population.
Why Schools Should Take Teacher Burnout More Seriously
Aug 2021

Why Schools Should Take Teacher Burnout More Seriously

As we start another school year in the northern hemisphere I reflect back on the hundreds of conversations I have had over the last twelve months with educators...
International School Teacher Wellbeing During the COVID 19 Crisis 2020-21
Apr 2021

International School Teacher Wellbeing During the COVID 19 Crisis 2020-21

I provide schools and other organisations with the inspiration, knowledge and tools to maximise the wellbeing of their whole community.
International School Teacher Wellbeing – How Can Schools Support Teachers More Effectively?
Mar 2021

International School Teacher Wellbeing – How Can Schools Support Teachers More Effectively?

Earlier this week, I published the main findings from my research into  International School Teacher Wellbeing During the COVID 19 Crisis 2020-21. It is important to give teachers a voice and...
First Results from International School Teacher Wellbeing Survey Reflect Poorly on Senior Leadership
Mar 2021

First Results from International School Teacher Wellbeing Survey Reflect Poorly on Senior Leadership

In January and February of this year, 275 international school teachers from 46 countries took part in an comprehensive survey about their mental health and wellbeing. The infographic shows the...
How Do Schools Develop an Effective Staff Wellbeing Policy?
Jan 2021

How Do Schools Develop an Effective Staff Wellbeing Policy?

In my last article  What are the Most Effective Steps Schools Can Take to Support Teachers’ and Leaders’ Mental Health and Wellbeing? I listed nine steps that schools can take to determine...
What are the Most Effective Steps Schools Can Take to Support Teachers’ and Leaders’ Mental Health and Wellbeing?
Jan 2021

What are the Most Effective Steps Schools Can Take to Support Teachers’ and Leaders’ Mental Health and Wellbeing?

There is a host of data from around the world which suggests that teachers and school leaders experience significantly more work-related stress than the general population and are more vulnerable...
What is Burnout and How Can Teachers and School Leaders Overcome It?
Jan 2021

What is Burnout and How Can Teachers and School Leaders Overcome It?

Back in September 2020 in my article Is an Epidemic of COVID Burnout Awaiting our School Leaders?  I shared my own experiences of an occupational burnout diagnosed the year before. I also...
School Leader Wellbeing During the COVID 19 Pandemic – The 2020 Report
Dec 2020

School Leader Wellbeing During the COVID 19 Pandemic – The 2020 Report

I provide schools and other organisations with the inspiration, knowledge and tools to maximise the wellbeing of their whole community.
Why Should Parents Care About School Leader Wellbeing?
Dec 2020

Why Should Parents Care About School Leader Wellbeing?

The media is filled almost every day with reports of increased stress and mental health issues that schools are facing in the wake of the current pandemic crisis. Most focus...
School Leader Voices Tell the Real Story of Pandemic Stress
Nov 2020

School Leader Voices Tell the Real Story of Pandemic Stress

In my recent study into school leader wellbeing during the COVID 19 crisis 70% of the 721 school leaders who took part say they have come close to breaking point...
School Leader Wellbeing Survey Reveals Worrying Pandemic Stress Levels
Nov 2020

School Leader Wellbeing Survey Reveals Worrying Pandemic Stress Levels

Many thanks to all those 721 school leaders around the world who took part in my online survey last month. I have prepared an infographic to share the highlights. A...
Leading Through a Pandemic: Building School Leader Resilience
Oct 2020

Leading Through a Pandemic: Building School Leader Resilience

The COVID 19 crisis is increasing the huge levels of stress already experienced by international school leaders. While some are thriving in the face of the challenge, many are overwhelmed...
Leading Through the Pandemic-Is a Sense of Over-responsibility Harming School Leaders?
Sep 2020

Leading Through the Pandemic-Is a Sense of Over-responsibility Harming School Leaders?

In my doctoral research “International Schools as Emotional Arenas: Facing the Leadership Challenges in a German Context” (2017) an emerging theme that went largely unexplored was the heightened sense of...
Leading Through the Pandemic-Is an Epidemic of COVID Burnout Awaiting our School Leaders?
Sep 2020

Leading Through the Pandemic-Is an Epidemic of COVID Burnout Awaiting our School Leaders?

A year ago, at the start of the 2019-20 school year, I took the decision to retire from work at the end of the year, at the age of 56....
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