Having a say on school policies and curriculum, informal lunchtime socialisation, and validating experiences of 'imposter syndrome' are among a raft of factors that could be leveraged by the education system to keep early career teachers in the job and address the teacher retention crisis, new research from Monash University suggests.
One in two new teachers will leave the job in their first five years, and to turn this around researchers are urging schools to act on the 41 factors that drive 'teacher belonging'.
While there are some academic and administrative factors like a proper induction, clarity about their role, and recognition of the importance of subjects they teach, the study found most of the factors that influence teacher belonging depend on the relationships they build in the school.
This includes practical and emotional support, respectful and trusting relationships with school leadership and colleagues, and forging a bond over shared experiences like feelings of doubt or being new teachers together.
The Monash research is a global scan of what contributes to teacher belonging across 15 countries including Australia, with findings that can be easily implemented in all Australian schools now.
Lead researcher Ebony Melzak, a PhD candidate at Monash School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, said the factors identified as driving teacher belonging should be considered a list of ideas for Australian schools to implement and help retain early career teachers.
"Early career teachers are often reporting a feeling of overwhelm and emotional exhaustion, creating doubt in their career choice," she said.
"This is compounded by a lack of understanding from experienced colleagues and leadership of the early career experience, as well as not feeling supported with the day-to-day responsibilities of teaching.
"From supportive relationships to providing early career teachers with the opportunity to contribute their innovative ideas without being shunned for being 'inexperienced', schools that consider these factors can create environments where teachers feel accepted, valued, and ultimately where they belong and want to stay."
In addition to keeping teachers in the classroom, teacher belonging is also a top contributor to student belonging and academic engagement.
Melzak said fostering teacher belonging can give teachers the resources to create a reliable and safe learning environment for their students.
"The teacher-student relationship is critical to students' educational success, so having satisfied and motivated teachers who are invested in their students will naturally give those students a better experience in the classroom," she said.
"Teachers' sense of belonging has been linked to greater teaching outcomes, including belief in their teaching ability, enthusiasm, and likelihood to show up on a consistent basis.
"Ultimately, nurturing teacher belonging is not only beneficial for teachers but also plays a vital role in shaping a positive and effective learning environment for students."
Monash Associate Professor Kelly-Ann Allen said the findings could also translate into teacher training programs.
"We need to embed these messages and strategies from the ground up so that new teachers entering the profession receive a strong message that they are valued and respected from day one," she said.
"This research is a great opportunity to contribute to a more positive conversation about teaching.
"It's time we flipped the narrative and returned to the reasons so many people choose to become teachers in the first place."
Michael* has been a teacher in Melbourne's inner east for six years in both government and independent schools.
He said the focus on regular online meetings to connect with colleagues during Covid-19 lockdowns gave him a unique opportunity to quickly establish strong links within the school.
"These meetings were not only about the planning for teaching and learning, but more importantly checking in to see if I was okay, and how I was adapting to the relevant platforms the school was using," he said.
"Being provided regular opportunities to contribute and test the status quo from middle and senior leadership teams have enabled me to develop professionally.
"To ensure early career teachers remain in the profession, and continue to develop the necessary skill set to thrive in this industry, it is imperative to provide time allowance to work in professional learning communities, within their current school, but also within a network of early career teachers."
Read the full paper in the August 2025 edition of Educational Research Review.
*Pseudonym used
