Purpose: School well-being also includes the well-being of school leaders. In this paper, we argue that trends related to work intensification are negatively influencing school leaders’ (principals’ and vice-principals’) wellness in Ontario. We argue that these challenging circumstances are not only leading to burnout but are also influencing the retention of current school leaders and the recruitment of future school leaders. Due to the similarities between education systems in Canada and Europe, these findings have important repercussions and considerations for schools leaders working in democratic European societies. We argue that changes need to be made both at the system level (policy and programming) and individual level (professional development) to ensure that school leaders have work environments that promote their health and well-being.

Framework: This article is framed around two central concepts: work intensification and wellness. Work Intensification occurs when several components of work accrue over an extended and ongoing time period and with no responsibilities or duties removed from the expected role (Allan, O'Donnell, & Peetz, 1999; Green 2004, 2012). Wellness refers not only to an absence of any kind of distress associated with cognitive functions, emotional state, social interactions, or physical health, but also to having a feeling of joy, contentment, fulfillment, happiness, and accomplishment (Marks & Shah, 2004).

Methodology: This article draws from four quantitative studies supported by principal associations in Ontario (the Ontario Principals’ Council [2015, 2017]; Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes [2019]) and SSHRC (2019). The 2015, 2019, and 2019 studies examined principals’ work, and the 2017 study examined vice-principals’ work. All four studies used an online survey to collect data. The 2015 principal survey achieved a 52.68% response rate, while the response rate for the 2017 vice-principal survey was 35.6%. The response rate for the 2019 ADFO study was 45.41%; and the response rate for the 2019 SSHRC study was 32.0%. The surveys consisted of Likert-based and open-ended questions distributed among 12 different sections. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency distributions to determine the central tendencies of the variables. Inferential statistics involved logistic multiple regression that enable us to predict the relationship between multiple explanatory variables and the dependent variable. Data Sources: This presentation is based on four studies. The first (2015) was based on 1,434 surveys completed by practicing English-language principals in Ontario; the second (2017) was based on 862 surveys completed by practicing English-language vice principals in Ontario; the third was based on 188 surveys completed by practicing French-language principals in Ontario; the fourth was based on 959 surveys completed by practicing English-language principals in Ontario.

Results and Conclusion: Principals and vice-principals are experiencing all aspects of work intensification (Pollock et al., 2015, 2017; Pollock & Wang, 2019a, 2019b). The principals and vice-principals indicated that they want to spend more time on instructional leadership, but this time was compromised by management-related activities and other competing priorities. The majority of vice-principals also wanted to spend more time on tasks and activities associated with instructional leadership: Across all four studies, only a small percentage of principals felt they were spending enough time on instructional leadership. Instead, our analysis found that principals are spending time on many tasks that lead to emotionally draining situations, which can negatively impact their well-being and lead to burnout. We conclude that there must be changes made at the system level (policy and programming) and individual level (professional development) to ensure principals can spend more time on leading instruction and less time on emotionally draining tasks, as a burnt out school leader workforce can negatively impact student outcomes. Significance: We know that school leaders play an important role supporting student outcomes (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, Wahlstrom, & Mascall, 2010) and driving positive change at the school level (Leithwood, Harris, & Strauss, 2010). However, if they are struggling with their own wellness, their role in supporting student outcomes could potentially be affected. Our findings highlight the need for system-level changes to policy and programming and individual-level changes to professional development that can mitigate the negative impacts of work intensification on school leaders’ wellness (Wang, Pollock, & Hauseman, 2018) and, subsequently, student outcomes.

Allan, C., O'Donnell, M., & Peetz, D. (1999). More tasks, less secure, working harder: Three dimensions of labour utilisation. Journal of Industrial Relations, 41(4), 519–535. Green, F. (2004). Work intensification, discretion, and the decline in well-being at work. Eastern Economic Journal, 30(4), 615–625. Leithwood, K., Anderson, S., Mascall, B., & Strauss, T. (2010). School leaders’ influences on student learning: The four paths. In T. Bush, L. Bell, & D. Middlewood (Eds.), The principles of educational leadership and management (pp. 13–30). London: Sage. Marks, N., & Shah, H. (2004). A well-being manifesto for a flourishing society. Journal of Public Mental Health, 4(2), 9–15. The Institute for Education Leadership. (2013). The Ontario Leadership Framework: A school and system leader’s guide to putting Ontario’s Leadership Framework into action. Retrieved from https://www.education-leadership-ontario.ca/application/files/8814/9452/4183/Ontario_Leadership_Framework_OLF.pdf Pollock, K. (2017, September). Healthy principals, healthy schools: Supporting principals’ well-being. EdCan Magazine. Pollock, K., & Wang, F. (2019a). Le travail des directions d’école au sein des systems d’éducation de langue française en Ontario [Principals’ work in Ontario’s French-language education systems]. Report prepared for the Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes (ADFO). Internal document. Pollock, K., & Wang, F. (2019b). Principals’ work intensification and wellness. Unpublished raw data. Pollock, K., Wang, F., & Hauseman, C. (2017, October). Vice-principals’ work: More than being an instructional leader. OPC Register, 19(3), 20–24. Pollock, K., Wang, F., & Hauseman, D. C. (2015). Complexity and volume: An inquiry into factors that drive principals' work. Societies, 5(2), 537–565. doi:10.3390/soc5020537 Pollock, K. (with Hauseman, C., & Wang, F.) (2014, October). Efforts to be an instructional leader: The changing nature of principals’ work. OPC Register, 7-10. Wang, F., Pollock, K., & Hauseman, D. C. (2018). Ontario principals’ and vice-principals’ well-being and coping strategies in the context of work intensification. In S. Cherkowski & K. Walker (Eds.), Perspectives on flourishing schools (pp. 287–304). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.