Recognizing and Addressing Educator Stress and Burnout

💡 Why this matters

A recent article published by the EdCan Network highlights that 92 % of school division staff and 98 % of teachers self-report significant stress or burnout in the 2023–24 Well at Work survey—upholding a concerning trend of chronic stress across the country. While not necessarily clinical diagnoses, these findings point to systemic strain in Canada’s education workforce.

Common causes

According to the article, burnout results from chronic workplace stress, driven primarily by situational factors—like heavy workloads, limited autonomy, and mismatched values—rather than individual shortcomings. According to Maslach & Leiter, burnout stems from misalignment in six areas:

1. Workload: excessive tasks with insufficient recovery,
2. Control: lacking influence over one’s work,
3. Reward: insufficient recognition or compensation,
4. Community: poor relationships at work,
5. Fairness: inequity in decisions or resource allocation,
6. Values: conflict between personal and organizational priorities.

Consequences ripple outward

Burnout affects more than the individual educator. Impaired teachers lead to:

• Lower student achievement, motivation, and grades,
• Increased absenteeism and staff strain,
• Lowered school morale and productivity for teams.

What the EdCan article recommends

1. System-level solutions
   Stakeholders—including districts, provinces, and unions—must tackle root causes rather than focusing solely on individual coping. Strategies may include balancing workloads, clarifying roles, enhancing autonomy, and aligning institutional values with educators.
2. Build community and fairness
   Creating trusting, supportive environments where educators feel heard, valued, and respected can buffer against stress and improve workplace culture.
3. Improve recognition and reward systems
   Fair compensation, meaningful acknowledgment of effort, and transparent decision-making processes help restore balance in teachers’ work lives.
4. Ongoing monitoring
   Using tools like the Guarding Minds or Well at Work surveys helps identify stress hot spots and track the effectiveness of interventions over time.

Context in Canadian Education

These issues echo findings in other Canadian research:

• A 2022 Alberta study found 90 % of education workers reporting burnout.
• The post-pandemic spotlight on “demoralization” highlights the additional layer when teachers feel their work no longer aligns with moral or career goals—a factor separable from burnout itself.

Key Takeaways

For Canadian K–12 leaders

• Audit your workplace: Use the six Maslach–Leiter domains (illustrated in the article) to assess stress factors in your schools.
• Co-design interventions: Involve teachers in opportunities to adjust workload, decision-making, and supports.
• Invest in culture: Foster strong, collaborative communities with fair, transparent practices.
• Track progress: Maintain regular well-being check-ins and follow through on improvement plans.

Burnout represents a critical challenge—but also an opportunity. By adopting systemic, research-based strategies rooted in values and equity, Canadian educators and leaders can rebuild healthier, more sustainable school environments. Limiting burnout isn’t just about preserving educators’ well-being—it’s central to supporting student success, staff retention, and the future of public education in Canada.

For more information on the topic, read Recognizing and Addressing Educator Burnout, from EdCan Network.