Facilitating a

Productive Work
Environment

with a focus on Administrative Leadership,

Professional Culture, and Types of Stress

Ben Thayer
EDL 663

Qualities of Productive
Work Environments
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.

7.
8.

Clear Mission
Stimulating Professional Development Meetings

Supportive Administrative Leadership

Professional Culture
Opportunity to use ones talents and skills
Comfortable, attractive, and well equipped physical
space
Adequate time to perform required duties
Adequate supply of materials and equipment

Jacobson, L. (2005, March 30). States scrutinize teacher working conditions. Education Week, pp. 1, 16-17.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Administrative Leadership
Support equality in the workplace
Open to suggestions
Serious about concerns
Clear expectations
Advocate for staf
Freedom and trust in staf
Available for interaction
Henderson, C.L., Buehler, A.E., Stein, W.L., Dalton, J.E., Robinson, T.R., & Anfara, V.A., Jr. (2005, September). Organizational
health and student achievement in Tennessee middle schools. NASSP Bulletin, 89, 54-75.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Professional Culture

A sense of community exists within a group when

six elements are present:
Shared values
Commitment
A feeling of belonging
Caring
Interdependence
Regular contact
Belendaro, S.J. (2001, October). Practices and conditions that lead to a sense of community in middle schools. NASSP
Bulletin, 85, 33-45.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Shared Values:
-common interests
-attitudes
-philosophy
Commitment:
-work ethic
-helping others
-personal investment
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Feeling of Belonging:
-acceptance of others
-adoption of shared values
-understanding diferences
Caring:
-demonstrated through respect
-showing empathy and compassion
-listening
Bailey, B. (2000). The impact of mandated change on teachers, In N. Bascia and A. Hargreaves (eds.), The sharp edge of educational
change (pp. 112-128). New York: Routledge Falmer.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Interdependence:
-trusting in others
-inheriting students from earlier grades
-dependent on others in some aspects
Regular Contact:
-time with departmental colleagues
-time outside of department
-social get-togethers
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Types of Stress
Time stress
Situational stress
Encounter stress
Anticipatory stress

Albrecht, K. (1979). Stress and the manager. Englewood Clifs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Time stress results from insufficient time to

complete a task.
Situational stress is triggered by a perception
of inability to cope with demands of the job.
Encounter stress occurs when an individual
deals with a hostile or critical person.
Anticipatory stress involves moments of
anxiety while waiting for an event to occur.
Jacobson, L. (2005, March 30). States scrutinize teacher working conditions. Education Week, pp. 1, 16-17.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Factors in a Productive
Work Environment
You cant control every aspect of the work
place but the factors you can control can be
very powerful.
Be proactive with administrative leadership,
encourage a healthy professional culture, and
know the stressors of the job and how to
manage them.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

References
Albrecht, K. (1979). Stress and the manager. Englewood Clifs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bailey, B. (2000). The impact of mandated change on teachers, In N. Bascia and A.
Hargreaves (eds.), The sharp edge of educational change (pp. 112-128). New
York: Routledge Falmer.
Belendaro, S.J. (2001, October). Practices and conditions that lead to a sense of
community in middle schools. NASSP Bulletin, 85, 33-45.
Henderson, C.L., Buehler, A.E., Stein, W.L., Dalton, J.E., Robinson, T.R., & Anfara,
V.A., Jr. (2005, September). Organizational health and student achievement
in Tennessee middle schools. NASSP Bulletin, 89, 54-75.
Jacobson, L. (2005, March 30). States scrutinize teacher working conditions.
Education Week, pp. 1, 16-17.
Seyfarth, J. T. (2008).Human resource leadership for effective schools(Fifth edition.).
Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.