Defining and Advancing a Systems Approach to Achieving Educator Wellbeing: An Integrative Review of Wellbeing in Higher Education

Abstract

Educators are crucial for student success in higher education, yet they often experience high levels of occupational stress which threaten their wellbeing. Informed by a conceptual framework initially developed for addressing worker wellbeing in the healthcare sector, another sector where workers experience high levels of occupational stress, this article explores how educator wellbeing is influenced by factors within the teaching environment, institutional environment and the external environment. Through an integrative review of existing literature, this article synthesises their findings to identify work system factors, individual factors, and outcomes and consequences of educator wellbeing across these domains. The resulting framework offers practical guidance for universities to identify, assess and respond to potential threats to educator wellbeing, ultimately enhancing the prospects of student success and meeting organisational goals without compromising the wellbeing of educators.