School Employee Wellness: The Overlooked Infrastructure Connection

School staff are expected to do it all — teach, mentor, lead, and support entire communities. Yet too often, we overlook whether their work environments support them. Many school employees spend their days in outdated buildings with poor ventilation, inadequate lighting, minimal privacy, and no space to recharge — conditions that undermine their physical health, morale, and ability to effectively do their jobs. In order to retain and sustain a healthy school workforce, we must pay more attention to the ways that the physical infrastructure in schools influences staff wellness and design solutions that support their wellbeing.

Employee wellness — whether in schools or other workplaces — is multidimensional. It encompasses physical health, mental and emotional well-being, professional fulfillment, social connection, and financial stability. For school systems, the stakes of supporting employee wellness are high, carrying implications for budgets and student outcomes:

• Absenteeism & Turnover: Stress and burnout contribute to both teacher absences and attrition. Teacher absences are estimated to cost U.S. schools $4 billion annually, and replacing a single teacher in some school districts can cost up to $20,000.
• Impact on Students: Teacher well-being also influences student achievement and emotional outcomes. Teacher well-being can affect student test scores, grades, and emotional health —healthy educators are better equipped to model and sustain cognitive resilience and emotional regulation for their students.

Yet the environments where school staff spend 40+ hours each week often undermine rather than support their wellness:

• The average U.S. public school was built nearly 50 years ago, with many suffering from poor air quality, temperature control issues, insufficient lighting, and acoustical problems.
• Many educators report challenges related to their physical work environments, including inadequate resources and facilities that may contribute to discomfort and stress, which in turn may lead to turnover.

Despite a clear link between physical environments and well-being, research on how school infrastructure affects school employees remains limited. While decades of research explores how facilities impact student outcomes, staff wellness is often treated as a secondary concern—if it’s addressed at all. This gap in research limits our ability to design schools in ways  that fully support employee physical and emotional health.

Despite these challenges, some school systems are taking action. Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), in partnership with the Teachers Association of Baltimore County and Kaiser Permanente, piloted an employee wellness initiative that elevated the role of infrastructure in staff well-being. While the program included standard activities like yoga and walking challenges, some of its more innovative efforts focused on enhancing the spaces where staff work and recharge:

• On-Site Fitness Enhancements: Schools invested in new exercise equipment and expanded access to fitness facilities, helping staff incorporate movement into their day.
• Healthy Eating Infrastructure: Kitchen equipment like blenders supported hands-on programs — such as recipe makeovers — encouraging staff to prepare nutritious meals and snacks at school.
• Transformed Staff Lounges: Several schools redesigned outdated breakrooms into inviting spaces with comfortable furniture, calming décor, and amenities that encouraged staff connection and relaxation.

These relatively low-cost upgrades demonstrated how rethinking staff spaces can boost morale, reduce stress, and build stronger school communities.

Design experts and researchers highlight several infrastructure principles that promote healthier, more supportive work environments for educators:

• Dedicated Adult Spaces: Comfortable, purpose-built areas for staff support focus, privacy, and opportunities to recharge — rather than relying on repurposed student spaces.
• Natural Elements and Sustainable Materials: Access to daylight, greenery, and other biophilic design features reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Using durable, sustainable materials in high-traffic areas helps maintain welcoming, professional spaces over time. 
• Environmental Quality: High quality air, lighting, acoustics, and temperature control reduce physical strain and mental fatigue.
• Flexibility and Control: Features like movable furniture and adjustable lighting allow staff to personalize their environment and adapt spaces to different activities.
• Thoughtful Technology Integration: Implementing technology that supports teaching, collaboration, and communication enhances productivity without adding new burdens.
• Physical Wellness Supports: Providing walkways, ergonomic furniture, and on-site fitness areas encourages movement and comfort throughout the day. 
• Teacher Voice and Feedback: Integrating educator perspectives into school planning and design ensures spaces reflect the needs of those who use them every day.

If we are serious about supporting the whole child, we must also support the whole adult. This means:

• Expanding Research: Studying how school environments affect staff health, job satisfaction, and retention.
• Integrating Wellness into Policy: Embedding employee wellness considerations into school facility standards and building codes.
• Prioritizing Funding: Recognizing infrastructure investments that support staff wellness as strategic, high-impact investments.
• Co-Designing Spaces: Involving school employees in the planning and design of learning and work environments from the outset.

The spaces where education happens matter — for everyone who walks through the doors. Supporting employee wellness through thoughtful infrastructure isn’t just good practice; it’s foundational to a healthy, effective, and sustainable education system.