Governor wellbeing matters
Common stressors for governors include:
- Heavy workloads
- Feelings of incompetence or lack of purpose
- Time constraints
- Competing responsibilities
And just as in any other workplace, poor mental health and wellbeing can lead to:
- Reduced productivity
- Increased absence from meetings
- Social difficulties
While it's no single person's responsibility to maintain the mental health and wellbeing of the governors on your board, there are some tweaks that you as a chair, clerk or any other board member can make to ensure that governance isn't overly burdensome.
Prioritise induction and training
If a board is to run efficiently, every governor must be confident in their role. This is the case for both new governors and more experienced ones who are tackling new responsibilities.
New governor induction and further training for experienced governors can protect your governors' wellbeing by:
- Helping governors feel confident in their roles
- Making sure each governor is doing the best they can
- Keeping the workload evenly balanced