Why do we Never Hear about Gruntled Employees? · Limited positions ... Organogram. Level 3 : Belongingness Family, affection, relationships. Level 3 : Belongingness Family, affection,

Why do we Never Hear Why do we Never Hear about Gruntled about Gruntled

Employees?Employees?Sue JohnsSue Johns

Kingsway English CentreKingsway English CentreWorcesterWorcester

Why do we never hear Why do we never hear about about gruntledgruntled employees?employees?

Why it makes business sense Why it makes business sense to keep your staff happyto keep your staff happy

What makes employees What makes employees unhappy in EFLunhappy in EFL

How to improve conditionsHow to improve conditions

QuotesQuotes

If you genuinely want to put customers first, you must put employees more first

Tom Peters “The Pursuit of Wow”

You can’t expect your employees to exceed the expectations of your customers if you don’t exceed the employees’ expectations of management

Howard Schultz

Happy StaffHappy Staff

Less likely to take time off sickLess likely to take time off sickMore likely to do a good jobMore likely to do a good jobMore likely to go the extra mileMore likely to go the extra mileMore likely to talk positively about More likely to talk positively about your businessyour businessMore likely to stay longMore likely to stay long--termterm

Kingsway : UtopiaKingsway : Utopia

WhatWhat’’s wrong with EFL?s wrong with EFL?

1) Low pay1) Low pay2) Lack of professional respect2) Lack of professional respect3) Job insecurity3) Job insecurity4) Lack of career structure4) Lack of career structure5) Number of contact hours5) Number of contact hours

(too many or not enough?)(too many or not enough?)

1) Low Pay1) Low Pay

Midlands 09Midlands 09££21k 21k -- ££32k32kUniversity EFL University EFL lecturerlecturer

Outside LondonOutside LondonLondonLondon

££20k 20k -- ££30k30k££25k 25k -- ££34k34k

State school State school (main scale)(main scale)

Outside LondonOutside LondonLondonLondon

££15k 15k -- ££25k25k££20k 20k -- ££35k35k

Private sector Private sector EFL teacherEFL teacher

££5.73/hour5.73/hour££10k10kMin. wageMin. wage

££22k22kAverage Average salary in UKsalary in UK

2) Professional Respect2) Professional Respect

Gap year jobGap year jobRecognised: 5Recognised: 5--week week introductory courseintroductory courseDegree not essentialDegree not essentialNonNon--recognised coursesrecognised coursesNo teaching practiceNo teaching practice

3) Job Insecurity3) Job Insecurity

No contractsNo contractsWeekly contractsWeekly contractsShort term contractsShort term contractsHoly grail of EFL Holy grail of EFL –– a a permanent contract?permanent contract?

4) Lack of Career Structure4) Lack of Career Structure

Limited positionsLimited positionsSmall number of schoolsSmall number of schoolsMany small schoolsMany small schools

5) Contact Hours5) Contact Hours

CONTACT HOURSCONTACT HOURSTEACHER TYPETEACHER TYPE

20 20 -- 30 hours/week30 hours/weekPrivate language school Private language school teacherteacher

25 hours in class25 hours in classOver 50 hours/weekOver 50 hours/week

State school secondary State school secondary teacherteacher

850 hours p/a850 hours p/a21 hours/week?21 hours/week?

University EFL lecturerUniversity EFL lecturer

What can we do?What can we do?

Professionalism and salariesProfessionalism and salaries……needs an industry wide responseneeds an industry wide response

General working conditionsGeneral working conditions……are something we can address are something we can address individuallyindividually

MaslowMaslow’’s Hierarchy of Needss Hierarchy of Needs

Level 1 : Biological & Level 1 : Biological & Physiological NeedsPhysiological Needs

Food, drink, shelter, warmth Food, drink, shelter, warmth –– the the most basic needs.most basic needs.

Enough money to meet these needs.Enough money to meet these needs.People will do menial, unskilled jobs People will do menial, unskilled jobs simply to survive.simply to survive.Employing people at this level = no Employing people at this level = no loyalty or commitment + high turnover.loyalty or commitment + high turnover.

Level 2 : SafetyLevel 2 : SafetyProtection, security, order, stabilityProtection, security, order, stability

Stable employment & financial securityStable employment & financial securityTransparent pay scaleTransparent pay scaleStaff handbookStaff handbookContract of employmentContract of employmentHoliday payHoliday paySick paySick pay

Protect your teaching team ..Protect your teaching team ..Deal with problem staffDeal with problem staffDonDon’’t allow problems to driftt allow problems to driftEnglish UK help lineEnglish UK help line

Level 2 : SafetyLevel 2 : SafetyProtection, security, order, stabilityProtection, security, order, stability


Level 3 : BelongingnessLevel 3 : BelongingnessFamily, affection, relationshipsFamily, affection, relationships

Join the family Join the family ……Friendly welcome letterFriendly welcome letterSupport if moving into the areaSupport if moving into the areaMeet the team before startingMeet the team before startingBuddy systemBuddy systemHelp with planning first lesson/weekHelp with planning first lesson/weekIntroduction with new studentsIntroduction with new students


Induction programme for teachersInduction programme for teachers

Teaching mattersTeaching mattersNonNon--teaching mattersteaching matters


NonNon--teaching mattersteaching mattersKnowledge of cityKnowledge of citySession with ownersSession with owners

history, brochure, courses history, brochure, courses services, clientsservices, clients

OrganogramOrganogram



Information SharingInformation SharingResearch indicates that workers have Research indicates that workers have 3 prime 3 prime ‘‘wantswants’’::

Interesting workInteresting workRecognition for doing a good jobRecognition for doing a good jobBeing let in on things that are going on in Being let in on things that are going on in the company the company

ZigZig ZiglarZiglar


Information SharingInformation Sharing

Quarterly staff meetingsQuarterly staff meetings


Critical Non-Essentials: Paddy Lund


Critical NonCritical Non--EssentialsEssentialsPhoto boardPhoto boardBirthdaysBirthdaysFree hot & cold drinks and biscuitsFree hot & cold drinks and biscuitsXmas mealXmas mealCurries and drinksCurries and drinksHoliday home!Holiday home!


Involvement in decision makingInvolvement in decision makingQuarterly MeetingsQuarterly MeetingsUpdating contractsUpdating contractsBank Holiday openingBank Holiday openingNew photocopierNew photocopierNew CoursesNew Courses

Level 4 : EsteemLevel 4 : EsteemAchievement, status, responsibilityAchievement, status, responsibility


Personal Development ReviewsPersonal Development ReviewsAchievementsAchievementsResponsibilitiesResponsibilitiesView from managementView from management22--way (view way (view ofof management)management)


Acknowledging ExperienceAcknowledging ExperienceCarving out nichesCarving out nichesPresentation to PartnersPresentation to Partners


TrainingTrainingInIn--house training house training –– delivering & delivering & attendingattendingExternal training coursesExternal training coursesDiploma coursesDiploma courses


Appreciate those who stay!Appreciate those who stay!Loyalty incrementsLoyalty increments


NonNon--financial rewardsfinancial rewards6 months without sick day: 6 months without sick day: bonus day offbonus day offAchieving SMART targets: Achieving SMART targets: bonus day offbonus day offExceptional attendance awardsExceptional attendance awardsToken gifts for getting to work in adverseToken gifts for getting to work in adversecircumstancescircumstances


““People may take a job for more money, but People may take a job for more money, but they often leave it for more recognitionthey often leave it for more recognition””

Bob NelsonBob Nelson

““I would leave EFL if I felt undervalued, I would leave EFL if I felt undervalued, overworked or unappreciatedoverworked or unappreciated””

Kingsway teacher 2009Kingsway teacher 2009


Level 5 : SelfLevel 5 : Self--ActualisationActualisationPersonal growth & fulfilmentPersonal growth & fulfilment

Developing potentialDeveloping potential

““What people can be they must be What people can be they must be -- a musician must make music, an a musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must writeartist must paint, a poet must write””

Conclusions IConclusions I

Improving salary levels & addressing Improving salary levels & addressing issue of EFL as a professionissue of EFL as a profession

Major, industryMajor, industry--wide responsewide response

Conclusions IIConclusions II

Improving teachersImproving teachers’’ conditions generallyconditions generally

Individual school basisIndividual school basisTakes time, thought and effort Takes time, thought and effort –– not moneynot moneyUse MaslowUse Maslow’’s hierarchy to address basic needss hierarchy to address basic needsFocus on levels 2, 3 and 4 ; number 5 will followFocus on levels 2, 3 and 4 ; number 5 will follow

…… and there will be less disgruntlement in EFL!and there will be less disgruntlement in EFL!

Thank you for coming! Thank you for coming!

Please leave your business card Please leave your business card if you would like to receive a copy if you would like to receive a copy

of this presentationof this presentation

Sue Johns, Kingsway English Centre, WorcesterSue Johns, Kingsway English Centre, Worcesteremail : email : sue@[email protected]

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Why do we Never Hear about Gruntled Employees? · Limited positions ... Organogram. Level 3 : Belongingness Family, affection, relationships. Level 3 : Belongingness Family, affection,