Educational research: school leaders are overburdened

2025-01-31 A new study by Dr. Nele Groß and Prof. Dr. Marcus Pietsch addresses the health of school leaders in Germany. Unlike the health of teachers, the topic has hardly been examined so far. The results show that school leaders often feel overburdened and stressed because they do not receive enough support and appreciation. This also effects the quality of school education.

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„There is not only a shortage of teachers, but also a shortage of school leaders.“

“Throughout Germany and in Lower Saxony, many schools lack principals because no one wants the job. That means there is not only a shortage of teachers, but also a shortage of school leaders,” says Marcus Pietsch. The professor for Educational Science explains that school leaders work an average of 55 hours a week, managing the school, leading colleagues, driving school development and often teaching as well. Balancing all these roles is not easy, and a lack of appreciation only serves to increase the burden. High-quality education requires good governance of schools. However, the high demands placed on school leaders, combined with a lack of support, often lead to the position being perceived as unrewarding and unattractive.

In particular, the administrative tasks can take up to 80% of the working hours, leaving little time for visions and innovations for the school. But that is exactly what is needed for good school development. Furthermore, this is the area that can make the job more attractive, according to Pietsch: “We know that school leaders take the job primarily because they want to shape things, to make them better. In practice, they often fail to do so because of the many administrative tasks involved. Companies always have people who support the CEOs as assistants. School leaders rarely have that; they do everything themselves.” The empirical research is based on a longitudinal representative survey conducted in Germany in collaboration with Forsa, an independent market and opinion research institute. The data collected was analysed using the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model, according to which increased stress at work can be attributed to an imbalance in job demands and rewards (e.g. appreciation, salary, opportunities for advancement).

The research results can form a basis for recommendations for policymakers: What would be necessary, for instance, is the creation of supportive administrative bodies, and the recognition and appreciation for the enormous efforts of school leaders. Prof. Pietsch also suggests developing offers for principals to reduce stress and to network: “This is something that school leaders don’t have enough of. For example, formats in which they can share experiences to not feel alone with their problems. Being alone is difficult, and especially in a leadership position, you often are alone.”

If the situation does not improve, this will have far-reaching consequences – for the health of school leaders and for the quality of school education, emphasises Marcus Pietsch: “If there is no school management, there is no leadership, and if there is no leadership, there is no good school. When school leaders are absent, other people have to step in, substitutes have to be organised, or the classes are cancelled altogether.” This can be counteracted by creating incentives, improving structures and developing support services for school leaders.

Together with Kevin Dadaczynski (Fulda University of Applied Sciences and Leuphana), Nele Groß and Marcus Pietsch have conducted a nationwide study on the health of school principals. The results have been published in the renowned European Journal of Public Health (EJPH) and in a special edition of the journal Die Deutsche Schule (DDS). The researchers involved in the “Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland” (School Leadership Monitor Germany), which is funded by the Wübben Foundation for Education, want to compare the results internationally in a further step. So far, collaborations have been established with researchers in Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Nigeria and Chile, and further countries.

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  • Prof. Dr. Marcus Pietsch