Governor and trustee wellbeing matters
Common stressors for governors/trustees 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 your board, there are some tweaks that you as a chair, governance professional 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, everyone must be confident in their role. This is the case for both new governors/trustees and more experienced ones who are tackling new responsibilities.
New governor/trustee induction and further training for experienced board members can protect your board's wellbeing by:
- Helping governors or trustees feel confident in their roles
- Making sure everyone is doing the best they can
- Keeping the workload evenly balanced