The Hidden Signals of Teacher Burnout

Every child care director knows how costly turnover can be — but burnout doesn’t happen overnight. The good news? Teachers often tell us what they need long before they reach the point of walking away.

At Tandem, we work with thousands of teachers every year. Our platform isn’t just a tool for staffing — it’s also a channel for worker-side feedback, giving us a unique inside view into what motivates teachers to stay in the field and what discourages them. Our most recent end-of-year teacher survey reinforced the themes we see every day.

What Teachers Say Matters Most

The feedback is clear:

• Flexibility leads to stability. Many teachers cited the ability to choose their own schedule as the most appealing aspect of working through Tandem. One teacher put it simply: “Very important. It allows me to spend time with my family without giving up the work I love.” We explore how why staff value flexibility and how you can offer it in Why Flexibility Is the #1 Driver of Retention Right Now.
• Fast pay is more than a perk. Daily pay isn’t just convenient — teachers said it helps them cover essentials like groceries and bills. As one shared: “Knowing I’ll get income right away makes everything more peaceful.”
• Growth opportunities matter. Nearly every teacher expressed interest in additional training or credentials. Professional development is a key factor in keeping them engaged in the field long-term. We discuss creating growth opportunities to allow teachers to build a career path in child care in How to Build Career Pathways for Child Care Workers.
  

Spotting Burnout Before It’s Too Late

Burnout shows up in small ways: schedule change requests, dips in classroom energy, or comments about stress and finances. These signals are easy to miss — and easy to ignore when the day-to-day rush takes over. But letting these trends go unaddressed for too long only makes them worse.

And the stakes are high: national data shows annual turnover in early childhood education averages between 25–40%, one of the highest rates of any field. The cost of replacing a single teacher — recruiting, onboarding, lost continuity with families — is significant. Early detection and intervention around burnout can pay off many times over by extending the tenure of great staff.

The Role of Fast Feedback

Administrators can change the trajectory by offering candid, fast feedback as soon as patterns appear. When staff feel seen and supported, the conversation itself can help reverse burnout trends. Delaying the conversation, on the other hand, can make employees feel overlooked and undervalued.

Trust grows when feedback is transparent and two-way:

• Name what you see. Call out the changes in tone, energy, or behavior you’ve noticed.
• Ask, don’t assume. Invite staff to share what’s happening in their lives or classrooms.
• Problem-solve together. Brainstorm small adjustments — from scheduling tweaks to classroom supports — that can lighten the load.

These conversations require time and care, but they yield one of the highest ROIs in child care operations: keeping experienced teachers in place longer, reducing the need for constant rehiring, and strengthening relationships with children and families.

What Motivates Teachers to Stay

Feedback conversations aren’t just about preventing burnout. They’re also an opportunity to reinforce what teachers say motivates them most:

• Affirmation that their work matters. Teachers want to feel their role is essential to children, families, and the field.
• Understanding of life circumstances. Many teachers juggle family care, second jobs, or school. Acknowledging these realities shows empathy.
• Consistent support from leadership and peers. When teachers know they won’t be left to manage alone, they’re far more likely to stay.

Many centers utilize substitutes to prevent teacher burnout before it starts. We explore this concept in Using Substitutes Strategically to Prevent Burnout.

The Tandem Perspective

By weaving feedback and flexibility together, directors can build stronger cultures of trust and respect. Tandem’s platform provides the staffing backup that makes those conversations possible — ensuring that when a teacher needs time to recover, the classroom doesn’t suffer.

Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable. With fast feedback and an environment built on trust, teachers can stay engaged and supported in the work they love — while centers benefit from higher retention, fewer disruptions, and stronger ROI.

🧸 Crib Notes

Like Cliff Notes, but for child care:

• Rebook familiar subs to start the year with consistency
• Reset roles and responsibilities for smoother routines
• Early team check-ins reveal easy improvements
• Tandem offers flexible, vetted staffing without subscriptions
• A strong start leads to steadier months ahead

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