Identify issues using a staff workload survey

Template

Use this survey template to gather information from school staff about their workload. You can address issues you identify with resources from the workload reduction toolkit.

Edit the survey

The survey can be edited to meet the needs of your setting and you can add, change or remove questions if required. For example, some parts of the survey may be more appropriate for primary or secondary settings.

Use the online version of the survey

You can duplicate and adapt this online version of the staff workload survey.

Some schools find online surveys easier to share with staff than a paper form because they collate the results automatically for you.

Download the staff workload survey

Download Microsoft Word Document

DOCX, 31KB, 4 pages

Download OpenDocument Text

ODT, 16KB, 4 pages

“The online form made it accessible for staff. The responses were set out in a range of charts so I could explain clearly to staff what the outcomes were and indicate areas where we needed to focus”

Claire Evans, Deputy Headteacher Anderton Park Primary School

Suggestions for running a successful survey

School leaders who have conducted staff surveys in their own schools shared the following suggestions for running a successful survey:

Decide when and how often to run the survey

Consider when in the school year it would be best to run your staff survey for it to have the most impact and allow you to act on the results.

Carrying out regular surveys will allow you to evaluate the impact that your actions are having on staff workload, for example, some schools run these annually.

Decide who to survey and how long it will run for

You could choose the survey a group of staff, for example middle leaders or teaching assistants and edit the survey to reflect their role.

You should edit the survey to explain to staff how long the survey will remain open for.

Decide whether you need to anonymise the survey

An anonymous survey may encourage more accurate responses from the staff who take part. If you want to understand differences in workload between teams or groups, questions about name and role can be added.

You should edit the survey to tell your staff if the survey is anonymous or not.

Decide what to do next

You will need to consider the sequence of how you will act on the results of your staff survey. Give yourself time to analyse the results, update your staff and take action.

You can use the acting on your staff survey presentation to update your staff and get their input on your next steps.

The workload survey has been structured to align with the Identify, Address and Evaluate tookit areas. You can address workload issues you identify using resources from this toolkit, however the list is not exhaustive. You can help other school leaders by sharing what has worked in your school.