We completed a survey of teachers around the world for our 2026 Global Wellbeing Report. Of those we surveyed, almost half told us they do not plan to stay in the profession long-term. 

Stress was the most cited reason for wanting to leave the profession, making it clear that huge numbers of teachers around the world are experiencing unmanageable levels of stress at work.

Teacher stress and burnout 

Teaching is known to be a difficult profession. Teachers and stress are words we often see together – but that shouldn’t mean we just accept high levels of unmanaged stress as part of the job. 

Being unable to manage stress effectively often leads to burnout, which can have a big impact on mental health and wellbeing and makes us less able to cope with everyday challenges. 

Why are teachers stressed? 

Our report found that teachers are experiencing high levels of stress – and with almost half of teachers reporting moderate to negative wellbeing, this is evidently having an impact. 

The leading stressors for teachers were reported as workload, student behaviour, and a lack of support from leadership. 

Workload 

73% of teachers said workload is among their main causes of stress. The amount of time teachers spend in the classroom limits the amount of time they have in the day to complete tasks such as marking and lesson planning, especially alongside attending mandatory meetings and training sessions. 

Balancing all of this is evidently a primary stressor for teachers and often means working additional hours – only 4% of teachers reported that they get all work done in their contracted hours.

Student behaviour 

Poor behaviour in class can impact a teacher’s wellbeing in multiple ways – as well as the direct emotional impact of being treated with disrespect, even low-level disruptions slow down lessons, in turn increasing time pressure on teachers already trying to get lots done in very little time. 

And this clearly is posing an issue – our report found 58% of respondents cited student behaviour as a primary contributor to poor wellbeing. 

Lack of support 

Teachers need support from leadership in order to manage the challenges and demands of their job. However, 43% of teachers we surveyed highlighted a lack of support from leadership as a cause of stress at work. 

Feeling unsupported at work is closely related to feeling undervalued – if teachers don't feel they are getting the support they need from leadership, they may soon feel that they and their wellbeing don’t matter. For example, one teacher said to us they struggle with “feeling constantly as if the work I do isn't good enough”. 

How can leadership teams help? 

It's one thing to know that teachers are stressed – but what can leadership teams do about it? Leaders play a key role in supporting their staff’s wellbeing and helping them feel able to cope with stress at work.

Understanding wellbeing needs 

���������ٲ��ٱ���������DZ���, 43% of teachers attribute stress at work to not feeling supported by leadership. As a school leader, it’s essential that you understand your staff’s wellbeing needs – and the simplest way to do this is to ask what they are. 

Asking teachers directly what support they need makes it clear to your staff you value their wellbeing, as well as making it easier for you to provide the right support. 

One way to do this is with wellbeing surveys. These can be done anonymously, so staff have a space to honestly share their thoughts and feelings. 

Completing the same survey at different times (e.g. once a term or one every half-term) also enables you to measure changes over time and celebrate where you are succeeding. 

Learn more about wellbeing surveys

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Teacher stress might feel hard to manage, but ensuring your teachers feel valued can go a long way. This means showing their value, not just saying it – you might do this by: 

• Valuing their input and including teachers in decision-making where possible

• Respecting your teachers’ knowledge and expertise 

• Trusting your teachers and giving them autonomy 

• Listening to and – where appropriate – investigating frustrations or issues reported to you 

Support with behaviour challenges 

As with understanding your teachers’ wellbeing needs, listening to your staff is key to providing the support they need to manage behaviour. Trust that your teachers know their classes and students, and that they know where extra help is needed. 

You can also support them by having a clear behaviour policy that makes a real difference – not just one that looks good on paper.

Teacher wellbeing in 2026 

Learn more about how teacher wellbeing looks in 2026 with our Global Wellbeing Report.

The report uses insights from over 2,800 teachers across the world to examine where schools are succeeding and where the sector needs to change – so that together, we can help teachers lead happier lives. 

Read the report

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