Making Work Meaningful at Your School

I would wager top of mind for most everyone today is the national election. Managing school culture at this contentious time was the focus of my last CEO Notebook. In the past couple weeks, as I have crisscrossed the country, school business leaders have shared that employee retention is is another front-and-center topic. So today I’m going to turn to the hiring cycle at independent schools.

Unlike elected officials, our faculty and staff are not chosen through a ballot. The selection process is mutual, with school leaders offering positions to final candidates and candidates electing to work in a particular school. It’s therefore paramount to uncover why employees choose to stay at our schools and why some leave. When we have a better understanding of these motivations, we can create work experiences within our learning communities that benefit both our employees and schools.

Michael B. Horn, a writer and previous NBOA Annual Meeting speaker who may be familiar to many of you, authored a recent Harvard Business Review article on this topic: “ Why Employees Quit,” along with Ethan Bernstein and Bob Moesta. While Moesta and Bernstein have their roots in business, Horn now teaches in the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The article confirms what many leaders have known for a long time: People who find their work meaningful tend to stick around the longest. While the concept may seem intuitive in schools, where the mission and purpose are at the core of what you do, simply restating the school’s mission statement to faculty and staff isn’t enough. Rather, mission and purpose must be integrated at every stage of the onboarding process and beyond.

The article outlines three practical steps to help create a workplace that employees will want to “rehire” each day after they’ve joined the organization.

1. Understand What Brought an Employee to Your School.

Everyone has a unique reason for leaving their previous job. By understanding the factors that push or pull employees away, schools can personalize their retention and engagement strategies. This individualized approach enables schools to address the specific needs and motivations of their staff.

For instance, if a new employee mentions their desire for career growth, you might ask: What skills do they want to invest in? How can those skills be developed on the job while maintaining a healthy work-life balance? What opportunities exist within the school to align these goals? By collaborating on a career plan, you can create a path that serves both the employee’s interests and the school’s goals. 

Here at NBOA, the performance management process requires each staff member to develop a “learning plan” for the following year. This supports a richer, more personal conversation between the individual and their supervisor, and it informs how best to invest precious professional development dollars where they will make the biggest impact.

2. Develop “Shadow” Job Descriptions.

Independent school leaders often take on “other duties as assigned.” These are so various that we have a dedicated department in every issue of Net Assets magazine to explore especially intriguing or unexpected ones. To better manage workloads and set clear expectations, it's essential to incorporate recurring responsibilities into job descriptions.

The article recommends creating 'shadow' job descriptions that reflect not simply tasks but experiences within the job, which might acknowledge potential career paths and development opportunities aligned with a candidate’s aspirations. 

Furthermore, the article recommends creating “shadow” job descriptions that reflect not simply tasks but experiences within the job, which might acknowledge potential career paths and development opportunities aligned with a candidate’s aspirations. Regularly reviewing and revising these descriptions ensures they adapt to changing responsibilities and remain meaningful to employees.

3. Lean On Your HR Expertise.

To make work more meaningful for employees, schools would be well-served to  support them throughout their professional journey at the school. The article suggests a structured, multi-step approach in collaboration with HR. This process begins with working closely with each employee to create or refine roles. Instead of relying on what may be outdated job descriptions, engage in open discussions about job tasks to realign responsibilities according to employees' strengths. As career paths become more flexible, organizations can better engage and develop talent, the authors contend.

Independent schools are well-positioned to offer this kind of employee experience. In fact, I believe it could be your 'secret sauce' to make your school an employer of choice. 

In sum, meaningful work is not just about the tasks employees perform but also about the sense of purpose and impact they feel in their roles. When faculty and staff see how their work contributes to the larger goals of the school and when their own sense of purpose is fulfilled, they are more likely to be engaged and perform at their best. 

Independent schools are well-positioned to offer this kind of employee experience. In fact, I believe it could be your "secret sauce" to make your school an employer of choice. It will encourage faculty and staff to make a commitment to your school for a significant, if not all, of their career.

I know from personal experience the impact that long-tenured faculty and staff can have on students’ lives year after year.  In lower school, my daughter worked with a reading specialist who just happened to share her birthday, and that relationship over many years made all the difference in Samantha’s early education. My hope for all our schools is to hold on to their talented and committed employees this coming spring for the good of the students, community and culture.

Follow NBOA President and CEO Jeff Shields on LinkedIn.