How To Keep The “Good” Teachers & Reduce Turnover
Are you struggling to find quality teachers? In the child care industry, the turnover rate is quite large. Good teachers are hard to come by and when we do find quality teachers, we want to hold onto them. Daycare teachers are usually not paid what they are worth and they work HARD! It is very easy for staff to experience what is called “burn out”. When this happens, they will often start looking for somewhere else to escape their unhappiness.
So what are some ways to keep our teachers happy and staff morale up? Here are 5 tips to keep the "good teachers" and reduce turnover.
#1: Freedom
Give teachers freedom to manage their classrooms the way they want. You can still hold them accountable to your center's standards, but let them make choices. Do NOT micromanage them. Give them empowerment.
#2: Appreciation
Leave sticky notes of appreciation in their classroom or on the check-in computer. Order in pizza once a month for all staff. Have holiday parties during nap time and have floaters take turns relieving teachers to step out, get food, and talk for 5 minutes. Take time to verbally tell your teachers one-on-one how great a job they are doing and how you are blessed to have them! Have Teacher Appreciation Week at least once per year and shower them with goodies. You can pick a special treat each day to give with a cute sign to display beside the treats.
#3: Support
Walk through your teachers classrooms every day and make sure the teachers have everything they need. ASK them if there is anything you can get them. Be available to them and let them know you will schedule time to talk with them if they need it. Make sure they feel SUPPORTED in their classroom. Give them a supply allowance each month if the budget allows.
#4: Promotions Raises aren’t always an option, but do your best to give small raises when you can. Don’t be afraid to raise your rates to compensate for pay increases. Consider raising your rates just 3-5% every year or every other year. Parents don’t usually flinch and it really make a big difference in cashflow. Click here to download my free Rate Increase letter template.
If raises aren’t feasible, try giving a discount on employee child care or free child care. When an early shift becomes available, look for that dependable afternoon teacher and offer them morning hours before hiring. When needing administration help, do a quick evaluation of your current staff first. You may have someone already there with great management potential.
#5: Environment Foster a family environment. Teachers need to feel connected to their co-workers to truly enjoy their job. Try to pair up teachers in the classrooms who complement each other’s personality. Encourage breaks together. Have monthly staff meetings and have them share ideas and encouragement with one another. Participate in team building activities such as “Secret Pal” where you draw names and secretly bring each other little gifts throughout the week. Have each person fill out the “Getting To Know You” questionnaire and use it for the drawing. Download both the “Secret Pals” and “Getting To Know You” flyers for free!
When teachers and staff feel appreciated and know that you really care for them, they won’t want to leave. Your turnover rate will decrease while creating a core group of teachers that consider each other family!