How is the treatment of school employees by your school district?

Employee treatment by management is a very important factor when employees rate job satisfaction. The results of this poll show that more staff are dissatisfied than satisfied with their treatment by management, and more are highly dissatisfied than highly satisfied. The latter two categories showed a wide margin of difference.

A recent Conference Board survey reported by CNNMoney.com found that only 45% of Americans were satisfied with their jobs. This was a decrease from the previous 61.1% in 1987. Almost 25% of those surveyed indicated that they didn't expect to be at their current jobs within one year. Over the past 22 years job satisfaction has been on a downward spiral despite improvements in the work place such as a reduction of work place hazards and increased vacation time. The survey showed that workers of every age and income level were becoming increasingly unhappy in their work, but those workers under the age of 25 were the most dissatisfied.

There are many factors affecting job satisfaction but one report from the Society of Human Resource Management listed relationship with management as the most important reason that employees have for workplace dissatisfaction. This is a frightening statistic given the fact that so many teachers are unhappy with the way they are treated by their school district. Over 20% of respondents claimed to be highly dissatisfied.

With job satisfaction at a 22 year low, it is more important now than ever to develop lines of healthy communication between teachers and their school districts. While it may be impossible for school districts to grant all teacher requests or proposals, especially given budget constraints, an open dialogue is vitally important to maintain levels of good faith. For any employee it is important to know that management values their efforts and wants to work with them to solve any difficulties that arise. It is this type of cooperative atmosphere that fosters positive management and employee relationships. The same principles apply to teachers and their school districts.

Unless these statistics can be turned around in the teaching profession and on a national level, the turnover rate for employees will become increasingly difficult to manage. More time, energy and money will be spent on schooling and training new employees than will be spent on improvement of conditions for existing employees. Something has to change and dialogue is perhaps the first step.