Rational and Winnicottian wellbeing 'at work'

The idea that that the wellbeing of employees should be of concern to managers and employers has long been considered within management thought. From the paternal ideals of the 19th century social reformers to the current purveyors of happiness in the workplace, the need to mediate the demands of constantly increasing pressure on productivity has generated many organisational effects. This paper highlights the conflicts triggered when management seeks to assist teachers to become more efficient and productive as strategic human resources, rather than professional teachers and educators involved in the production of the next generation of citizens. Following a year-long study into staff relationships within a school this paper develops a line of analysis using the concept of the ‘good enough mother’ (Winnicott, 1971) to highlight a site of conflict. It is suggested that a lack of understanding by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) of the school toward the support sought by the teachers involved in ‘front line’ work with pupils is part of this conflict situation. The focus by the SLT on wellbeing techniques to assist the teachers toward a more rational ‘bottom line’ set of outcomes has the effect of increasing the distance of understanding between teachers and managers