Flexible and hybrid working are becoming more common in workforces across the world, but our recent research found that it’s still unusual amongst teachers. So how can schools overcome the barriers to flexible working for teachers?

Is flexible working important? 

Our 2026 Global Wellbeing Report is based on a survey of teachers around the world. Of those we surveyed, 85% of the teachers said flexible working is important to them: 

• 8% described it as somewhat important 

• 19% identified it as important 

• 22% called it very important 

• 36% said it's extremely important 

However, 68% reported that they do not have access to any flexible or hybrid working patterns. This presents a clear disconnect between what matters to teachers and the daily reality of their jobs – and this is a disconnect we need to address, with many teachers identifying flexible working as an area schools should focus on to improve teacher wellbeing. 

One teacher identified “not [having] enough flexibility to look after my own children” as a leading cause of stress at work. Another said their lack of flexibility is a factor in wanting to leave the profession because it doesn’t work alongside childcare. 

Some respondents identified inequality in who is offered flexible working – one said “[leadership teams] have flexible working hours while the rest of the staff get no flexibility”. 

Inequalities like this are likely to impact teacher morale and can create a divide between teachers and leadership teams, in turn impacting teacher wellbeing and retention.

It’s clear that flexible working is, for many, enough to make or break a role – and with more teachers than ever leaving the profession, it's essential that schools find ways to address this.

Barriers to flexible working for teachers 

We found the most common barriers to flexible working were: 

• the complexity of delivering flexible work options 

• leadership mindset 

Respondents also reported other barriers – one of these is a sense of duty to their students. Teachers feel their absence would impact the quality of teaching students receive, and this creates guilt that leaves them stuck in their current way of working.

Another similar barrier was that schools lack the staff needed to cover flexible working. One teacher linked this to the complexity of systems: “lack of funding means not enough staff are available to build the complex timetable required to allow flexible working”. 

Overcoming barriers to flexible working for teachers

Our data tells us we need to address these barriers to boost teacher wellbeing and improve retention – and some schools are finding innovative ways of doing this, showing that it can be done with a commitment from leadership and the right creative thinking. 

Mindset shift and leadership concerns

Many teachers we surveyed pointed to leadership mindset as a barrier to flexible working. As a leader, it’s important to examine your own mindset and consider how you could support your staff to be more flexible. 

Look for real-world examples of teachers’ flexible working so you can see how it works in action – you could also look into training or other CPD that develops your own understanding of flexible working for teachers. 

It's important you, your teachers and your support staff work as a team and that you trust them – not only does this makes flexible working easier, but trust and collaboration both inherently support staff wellbeing.

It’s not just leadership mindset that matters; teacher and support staff mindsets are also key. You can support these by: 

• Carrying out school-wide staff training on flexible working, looking at examples that demonstrate it in practice 

• Use staff meetings to generate ideas or share an online form where staff can share ideas on flexible working in practice 

It's key to think creatively, outside of the frameworks that teachers and schools might be used to – the data shows us that this is no longer working, so it’s essential we find new ways of thinking and working. 

Streamlining complex systems 

The complexity of systems such as timetabling also present an issue – automating and simplifying these systems is key to reducing staff workload and maximising flexibility. 

Of the teachers we surveyed, 96% regularly work outside of their contracted working hours – for some, this means working up to nine extra hours a week – and almost three quarters of the teachers working extra hours said they spend it on admin. 

Heavy admin workloads can make flexible working harder – physical paperwork requires staff to be at school to access it, which makes working flexible hours or at home difficult. Similarly, complex systems require more attention and take longer, which means they need more staff members to function.

Streamlining systems supports flexible working by ensuring staff can access the information they need quickly, securely and remotely, where needed. Automation also frees up staff time to spend on what really matters – teaching.

Using purpose-built software such as 91���� Timetable makes it easier to create complex timetables, so you can prioritise teacher choices and wellbeing.  

Teacher wellbeing in 2026

Our 2026 Wellbeing Report is based on insight from over 2,800 teachers across the world. It explores teacher wellbeing around topics including workload, job satisfaction, behaviour, inclusion, and job progression. 

Read the report to understand the issues your teachers are facing and equip yourself with the knowledge to make impactful and meaningful decisions at your school. 

Read the report

This blog article is based on data from a global teacher wellbeing survey 91���� conducted in December 2025.