by David Ingram
Staff wellbeing remains one of the most important priorities for any international school leader. It is also one of the most challenging.
The conversation has evolved significantly since I first wrote about our post-pandemic wellbeing journey several years ago. We are more aware of wellbeing than ever before, yet many colleagues would argue that genuine wellbeing remains difficult to achieve.
There is a certain irony in this. We have access to more information, resources and advice than at any point in history. We are more connected digitally than ever before, yet many people feel less connected personally, more overwhelmed and under greater pressure. Awareness has increased, but this has not necessarily translated into better wellbeing.
When I wrote my previous article, Wellbeing for Staff*, I was the Founding Head of Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi, a small and close-knit community. Today, I lead Dulwich College (Singapore), a College of approximately 3,000 students. The context has changed considerably, but the importance of staff wellbeing has not. If anything, it becomes more complex as organisations grow. Larger schools bring greater opportunities, but also more relationships, more communication and greater demands on people’s time and attention.
Singapore offers many advantages. Colleagues cycle to work, walk, run and participate in sport. Public transport is efficient and daily life is convenient. Yet international schools remain high-performing environments. Expectations are high, the pace is fast and our staff work exceptionally hard.
The challenge, therefore, is not simply encouraging healthier habits. It is creating an environment where colleagues can do meaningful work, feel supported by those around them and sustain that work over time.
Wellbeing often requires difficult decisions about priorities, workload and time. Every initiative, meeting and communication competes for colleagues’ attention. As school leaders, we spend considerable time deciding what belongs in the calendar, what can be streamlined and what needs to stop altogether. Sometimes protecting wellbeing is less about adding something new and more about having the discipline to say no.
Increasingly, I have come to believe that wellbeing and belonging are closely connected. The pressures of working in a school do not disappear when someone feels they belong, but they can be easier to navigate when individuals feel trusted, supported and part of something larger than themselves. People are more likely to ask for help, contribute ideas and remain committed through difficult periods when they feel connected to colleagues and community. Belonging is not a soft extra. It is one of the foundations on which wellbeing is built.
𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
One lesson from recent years is that wellbeing cannot be reduced to a single initiative or programme. It is influenced by workload, relationships, leadership, purpose, belonging and professional growth. Wellbeing leadership is therefore less about finding one solution and more about paying continual attention to the systems, structures and culture that shape people’s daily experience of work.
At Dulwich College (Singapore), our Staff Wellbeing Committee, led by Dr Will Patz, plays an important role in ensuring that staff voice informs our thinking. Through staff surveys, focus groups, accreditation work and wider College discussions, we spend significant time listening to colleagues and identifying recurring themes. These include workload, communication, recognition, trust, psychological safety and social connection.
Not every piece of feedback can lead directly to change, and different colleagues sometimes want different things. However, patterns matter. Listening carefully helps us understand where people are experiencing unnecessary pressure and where thoughtful adjustments can have the greatest impact.
One of my favourite examples has been the growth of a simple “shout out” culture. Originally introduced in our Junior School by Joshua East, it encourages colleagues to recognise publicly acts of kindness, support and professionalism. The idea has since spread more widely across the College. It costs nothing and takes only a few moments, but reinforces something important: people want to know their contribution is noticed and valued.
𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
The most significant shift in my own thinking has been the growing importance I attach to belonging.
A genuine sense of belonging develops through relationships, trust and shared experiences. This can be harder to foster in a large organisation where colleagues and students may know someone’s role without really knowing the person.
We have therefore looked for opportunities to strengthen connections across our community. One example is What It Means to Be Human at Dulwich. Students meet colleagues from across the organisation, from cleaners and accountants to teachers, College leaders and trustees. Through conversation, students get to know the people behind the role or uniform.
We ran the initiative once, saw its value and are repeating it. It reminds us that every member of a school community has a story worth hearing.
We have taken a similar approach through a Human Library event led by Fiona Shea. The model replaces printed books with people who share their experiences and perspectives through direct conversation. Following a successful first event, we are repeating this initiative as well.
Neither programme is intended to carry the weight of our wellbeing strategy. They are simply examples of something broader: creating intentional opportunities for people to meet, listen and build understanding. In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, soundbites and social media, there is something powerful about engaging properly with another person’s story.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫
Our focus on belonging has also strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. We increasingly view this not as a separate agenda but as an important contributor to wellbeing. People are more likely to flourish when they feel respected, represented and able to participate fully in the life of their community.
Our Employee Resource Groups provide opportunities for advocacy, connection and mutual support. These include groups for women, returning mothers, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, people of colour, LGBT+ colleagues and Singaporean staff.
Alongside this, our DEIJ Committee, led by Charlotte Ruddy, brings together staff and students to consider the wider culture of the College, while focused working groups address areas such as gender and racism.
This year we are also partnering with Everyday Racism to support the development of an anti-racism policy, provide professional learning for staff and strengthen our response to racist incidents.
This work is important in its own right, but it also contributes to a broader goal: building a community where people feel safe, respected and valued. If belonging is a foundation of wellbeing, then this work must remain central to how we think about the experience of both staff and students.
𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐨
Culture and connection matter, but they are not enough on their own. Wellbeing is also shaped by the practical systems governing people’s working lives. If expectations are unclear, communication is fragmented or meetings consume time without adding value, even a positive culture will come under strain.
Staff surveys, accreditation processes and regular dialogue help us identify pressure points and understand where changes may be needed. This does not mean acting on every suggestion individually. It means taking staff voice seriously and being willing to question established practice.
This year, we have been developing Whole College Meeting Guidance built around a simple principle: meetings should add value. Every meeting should have a clear purpose and agenda, with participants knowing whether items are for information, discussion or decision.
Safeguarding remains a standing agenda item, but so too does a brief human check-in. Taking a moment to ask colleagues how they are may seem small, but it reinforces the importance of relationships and reminds us to see the person as well as the professional.
The guidance also encourages colleagues to arrive prepared, listen actively, challenge ideas respectfully and leave with clear decisions and responsibilities. In many ways, it is less about meeting protocol and more about culture. How we meet reflects how we work together.
This work has reinforced another important lesson. Improving wellbeing does not always mean introducing something new. Sometimes it involves removing complexity, creating greater clarity or deciding that a process no longer adds sufficient value.
Schools are full of worthwhile ideas, but every additional priority carries a cost. If we continually add without stopping or streamlining anything, we increase pressure on the very people expected to turn those ideas into reality.
The discipline to stop matters. Protecting time, simplifying communication and leaving space in the calendar should not be interpreted as a lack of ambition. They allow people to focus their energy on what matters most.
𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝
Looking back, my understanding of wellbeing has evolved. While programmes and support structures remain important, I increasingly believe wellbeing is shaped by the daily experience of working in a community: feeling trusted, valued and connected to a shared purpose.
Culture and systems are inseparable. The challenge for school leaders is to shape both, listening carefully, making disciplined decisions and recognising that sometimes the most important choice is what not to do.
We do not always get this right. Schools are complex organisations, and colleagues face pressures both inside and outside the workplace. There are often competing priorities and no perfect solutions. However, our responsibility is to keep listening, keep learning and keep making thoughtful adjustments that help people thrive.
Schools will never be stress-free. The goal is to create an environment where people feel supported, connected and able to sustain meaningful work over time. In an increasingly fragmented world, genuine human connection remains one of the strongest foundations for wellbeing.
David Ingram, Head of College, Dulwich College (Singapore)
* Wellbeing for Staff
𝐋𝐘𝐈𝐒 is proud to partner with 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬