Learn how coffee for teachers can help retain and motivate school staff. Discover the benefits of providing quality coffee to boost morale and productivity.
Currently, it seems as though a day doesn’t pass without education and issues surrounding the teaching profession being the feature stories in the media. Whether it’s the growing teacher shortage, the rising number of educators leaving the industry or the declining state of wellbeing because of increased workloads, the education sector is facing challenges on several fronts.
What can we learn from the current situation for educators in Australia?
For anyone in senior education roles — principals and school business managers — battling to overcome these ongoing challenges is no easy task including how to recruit and retain teachers.
Recent surveys with Australian teachers show that they are still passionate about what they do. Around 80% of teachers continue to have a strong sense of belonging to their profession and feel a shared purpose and camaraderie with their colleagues.1 Another driver of job satisfaction was the positive influence teachers felt in their relationships and connections with colleagues and students. In short, most teachers love what they do, it’s just the feeling of not being valued, within the school and to some extent by the general public, that is leading many teachers to assess opportunities in other industries and workplaces.
The workplace is different for teachers – and so are the demands
For teachers, unlike other workplaces enjoying greater flexibility are unable to work from home. So if teachers can’t get the flexibility other workers rate highly in terms of job satisfaction, what’s the solution? To help make teaching a more satisfying job it’s up to schools to create a positive teaching environment where they feel valued. A school environment that is geared toward more social interaction can play a role in helping create engaged, committed and happy teachers.
Feeling connected at work creates a sense of belonging
What are some of the more realistic quick-fix solutions that schools can consider? The perfect starting point is the staff communal area. Next to the classroom it is the staff communal space where teachers spend a lot of their time. Step into the teacher staff area of any school and you quickly realise it is kind of the heartbeat of the place. Much more than a space to sit down for lunch or have some respite from the day’s busy schedule, the staff area serves many roles
It's a space to relax with a coffee between classes or enjoy a bit of peace and quiet while eating lunch, but the key word to keep in mind is ‘social’. It is the place for informal socialising, impromptu meetings, a place to exchange ideas and bonds create strong emotional bonds. Importantly for any school, the benefits extend to a far greater ambition, to nurture a sense of camaraderie and belonging to the school community. When the staff space is given genuine consideration and becomes an appealing place to be, it clearly demonstrates to teachers that they are valued and appreciated.
“Let’s grab a coffee” — The everyday suggestion that connects people
It’s no secret that sharing a cup of coffee with a work mate can foster important social connection. This is why companies (and schools!) are ensuring that their social spaces are an integral part of their strategy when it comes to staff happiness and wellbeing. It’s also the reason having quality, barista-style coffee employees and teachers enjoy is crucial.
For Lavalla Catholic College, providing great coffee is an important way for the school to show appreciation for its teachers. According to Robert Tarraran, Lavalla's Director of Business and Administration, “As management, we’re aware of what teachers go through every day. Providing them with a Nespresso Professional machine sends the message that we care for everyone by offering quality amenities that help them get on with their job. It says to our people that we value them.”
Keeping people connected over a quality cup of coffee can be a realistic solution compared to fully renovating a space that can be expensive and time-consuming. The coffee machine, in a sense, goes to work for you from day one.
Learn more how the Nespresso Professional team can help take your staff room to the next level with a bespoke coffee solution to keep your teachers engaged and motivated.
1 Australian Teachers’ Perceptions of their Work Report 2022, Monash University
