Supporting Teacher and Staff Professional Identity: A Key to Enhancing Wellbeing and School Culture

While one of the most fulfilling professions, the demands of working in education have never been higher. Between increasing workloads, shifting policies and the emotional weight of supporting students, many teachers and school staff find themselves feeling disconnected from the very reasons they entered the profession.?

Over time, the relentless pace, external pressures, and competing responsibilities can cause educators to lose sight of their professional identity—the core beliefs, motivations and values that once fueled their passion for teaching, leadership and working alongside children, young people and communities.

When educators and staff feel disconnected from their professional identity, it can lead to burnout, disengagement, and a lack of satisfaction with the role or profession. This not only affects their wellbeing but also impacts the school culture and student experience. On the other hand, when staff feel a strong sense of purpose and connection to their role, they’re more engaged, resilient, and fulfilled in their work.

As school leaders, supporting staff in rediscovering and reaffirming their professional identity is essential. It fosters a culture where educators feel valued, motivated, and empowered to bring their full selves to their work.

This article explores:

• What staff professional identity is?
• The importance of discovering professional identity
• How identity challenges impact staff and schools
• Common mistakes in supporting staff identity
• Strategies for supporting your staff to rediscover their professional identity?

Understanding Staff Professional Identity

Professional identity encompasses how educators and staff perceive themselves professionally and personally within the context of their roles. Our identity is a combination and interplay of our self-image, motivation, commitment, self-efficacy, task perception, and job satisfaction. These components, as noted by Hanna et al. (2019), form the core of an educator's professional identity and can be similarly applied to our school staff (including support staff, administration and any non-teaching staff) as well.

• Self-image: How teachers/staff view themselves in their professional role
• Motivation: The driving force behind their choice to get into the profession
• Commitment: Their dedication to the profession/role and its challenges
• Self-efficacy: Belief in their abilities to perform their job effectively
• Task perception: Understanding of their roles and responsibilities
• Job satisfaction: Overall contentment with their professional life

The Importance of Discovering Professional Identity

Supporting staff to discover or re-discover their identity is crucial for several reasons:

1. Enhanced wellbeing: Staff with a strong sense of identity tend to have greater job satisfaction and resilience. When educators feel aligned with their work, they experience lower stress levels and a greater sense of fulfillment.
2. Improved school culture: When staff feel supported in their professional growth, it fosters a positive and collaborative school environment. A positive culture is grounded in strong staff relationships and communication among colleagues.
3. Better student outcomes: Teachers and staff with a well-developed professional identity are more likely to create engaging and effective learning experiences for students (Titu, 2019). When educators feel connected to their purpose, they bring more energy and passion into the classroom and their interactions with students, which positively impacts student motivation and achievement.
4. Increased retention: Supporting identity development can help reduce burnout and improve staff retention rates (ISQ, 2021). When schools create space for educators to reflect on and refine their professional identity, they feel more valued and invested in their careers, making them more likely to stay in the profession or at the school long-term.?
5. Ongoing professional development: Teachers and staff with a well-developed sense of professional identity are more likely to engage in ongoing professional (and personal) development and adapt to new educational challenges and change initiatives. (Pi et al., 2024)?

By prioritising professional identity discovery and support, schools can create an environment where teachers and staff not only thrive professionally but also contribute to a stronger, more cohesive school community and school performance.?

How Identity Challenges Impact Staff and Schools

Schools have faced significant challenges in recent years as teachers and staff grapple with their professional identities. This issue has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced educators to rapidly adapt to new teaching methods and environments and the impact on student learning and engagement in the wake of lockdowns, home learning and global shared trauma. (Cain et al., 2022)?

Many educators and school staff have found themselves questioning their roles, effectiveness, and sense of purpose in education, particularly in the face of constant change and increasing demands.

While in many ways we have waved goodbye to the pandemic, these challenges remain a threat to staff wellbeing, morale, satisfaction and school culture. Through my discussions with staff and leaders, I hear of how staff in some schools are losing connection to their once purpose-filled profession, and I believe this is likely due to many of the positive interventions and staff engagement practices taking a back seat to the more operational nature of education and schools in recent years. Without intentional support, our staff may continue to feel disconnected from their professional identity, impacting not only their own fulfillment but also their ability to create a positive and engaging learning environment for students.

Common challenges experienced in schools:

• Lack of identity development: For newer teachers or those who entered the profession out of necessity rather than passion, there may never have been a strong foundation of professional identity to begin with. This is particularly evident in contexts where teaching is not highly esteemed or is chosen due to limited career options.
• Impact on school culture: When teachers and staff struggle with their professional identity, it can negatively affect the overall school culture. A lack of clear professional identity can lead to decreased job satisfaction, lower commitment to the profession, and reduced effectiveness in the classroom.
• Burnout and retention issues: Teachers and staff with a weak sense of professional identity are more susceptible to burnout and are less likely to remain in the profession long-term. This contributes to the ongoing challenges of teacher retention and recruitment faced by many school systems.

Strategies for Supporting Staff Professional Identity

To effectively support teacher and staff identity, consider implementing these strategies:

1. One-on-one reflective discussions: Schedule regular meetings between staff and leaders to discuss self-image, motivations, and job satisfaction. These conversations help educators feel heard, valued, and supported in their professional growth. Download our discussion prompts and questions below.
2. Group reflection sessions: Facilitate group discussions about professional identity and shared experiences. Creating a space for peer connection fosters a sense of belonging and encourages collaborative strategising.
3. Strength and personality assessments: Scaffold conversations by utilising tools like the VIA Strengths Assessment to help staff identify their core strengths and identify goals and aspirations for improvement and/or enhancement.
4. Role review and clarification: Regularly review and clarify job roles, responsibilities, and expectations to ensure alignment with personal and professional goals. Clear expectations reduce uncertainty and help staff stay engaged and motivated.
5. Anonymous feedback mechanisms: Implement surveys and questionnaires to gather honest feedback about staff engagement and sense of professional identity. Providing anonymity ensures that staff feel comfortable sharing concerns and suggestions for improvement.
6. Professional development opportunities: Offer targeted professional development that aligns with individual identity goals and school needs. Consider trends or themes in areas that staff are looking to enhance and plan strategic growth opportunities based on data.
7. Mentoring programs: Establish mentoring relationships to support ongoing identity development, especially for new teachers and staff. Strong mentorship helps staff to navigate challenges, build confidence, and establish a clearer sense of purpose in their careers.

Download this FREE resource:

Re/Discovering Professional Identity Question Prompts: Explore prompts designed to support staff reflection on their professional identity

Conclusion

Supporting teacher and staff identity is a critical component of effective school leadership. When staff feel connected to their professional identity, they bring greater passion, resilience and commitment to their work.

By implementing these strategies, schools can create an environment that nurtures professional growth, enhances wellbeing, and ultimately improves the educational experience for both staff and students. Investing in staff identity discovery and development not only boosts retention but also builds a culture where our people feel valued, motivated and empowered to make a lasting impact for our students.

How the Well-Led Schools Partnership Program Can Help

The Well-Led Schools Partnership Program is designed to equip school leaders with the tools, strategies and support needed to foster a positive and empowered school culture. One of the key focuses of our program is helping schools create environments where teachers and staff feel connected to their professional identity—ensuring they remain engaged, motivated, and committed to their roles.

Through expert-led sessions, practical frameworks and ongoing guidance, the Well-Led?

Schools Partnership Program helps schools:

• Implement identity-supporting strategies that enhance staff wellbeing and engagement
• Develop strong leadership foundations that foster collaboration and staff empowerment
• Address burnout, retention, and morale challenges with a structured, long-term approach
• Build a school culture where educators feel supported, valued, and driven to succeed

By joining the Well-Led Schools Partnership Program, schools gain access to a diagnostic approach that helps uncover the root causes of challenges and provides tailored solutions to create lasting, meaningful change. Investing in your staff’s professional identity is a strategic commitment to long-term success.

Apply to join here!

Resources

1. Kim, L. and Asbury, K. (2020) conducted a qualitative study of 24 practicing teachers in the UK during the first 6 weeks of the COVID-19 shutdown. They found that teachers drew upon their identity as a source of resilience while also experiencing threats to their identities due to uncertainty.
2. Hanna et al. (2019) noted six components of teacher identity: self-image, motivation, commitment, self-efficacy, task perception, and job satisfactionDay et al. (2005) and Ramakrishna & Singh (2022) discussed how teachers' professional identity influences their motivation for teaching, including self-efficacy and professional commitment.
3. Sachs (2005) described teacher identity as developing and being negotiated through experiences.
4. Maclure (1993) described teacher identity as involving a "continuing site of struggle".
5. Hamman et al. (2013) and Kavrayici (2022) discussed possible-selves theory in relation to teacher identity construction.