5 Reasons Teachers Don't Want to Work for You (and Nope, It's Not About Salary)

At least a handful of times each week, I get a frantic call from a preschool owner frustrated that “no one wants to work anymore.” Well after conducting 15 interviews in a day (yes, that’s happened multiple times), I can tell you that’s not true! There are plenty of skilled and passionate educators looking for work right now. I’ve been talking to teachers on the daily, and I’ve got the inside scoop on the real reasons they’re leaving or even refusing to walk through your center’s doors. Here are the top five reasons: 

Society already treats us like glorified babysitters, which is wild because the word EDUCATORS is literally in the title! Teachers want to teach. If your center operates more like a babysitting service, focusing on providing basic care instead of meaningful, intentional learning, teachers will quickly lose interest. Babysitters manage feeding schedules and nap times. Teachers engage children in play-based learning and support parents in their child’s developmental growth. If you want to retain real educators, you need more than just a routine - you need a program that fulfills them as professionals. 

Sorry to say it but, you might be the drama. Your staff doesn’t owe you gratitude for a paycheck - they’ve already given you their time for that. You need to check that “I’m doing them a favor by hiring them” attitude at the door. Here’s the thing - you hired them to help grow YOUR business. The legacy left behind will be YOURS. So, if you’re walking around with that “top dog” attitude or catch yourself saying things like “You can leave if you don’t like it here,” your teachers will do just that - leave. Pizza in the break room isn’t gonna cut it anymore. They’re asking for mutual respect now. Nobody wants to work for an ungrateful person. Simple things like kind words, encouragement, and support mean way more than donuts or gift cards (but, those are cool too). 

As a fellow entrepreneur, this is where I have so much empathy and understanding for you. This is your BABY, your life’s work. You made so many sacrifices and put everything you had into starting this business, and the thought of someone messing it all up is so scary. But if you’re not investing in training and professional development, and you’re just walking around nitpicking instead, your staff is going to be annoyed. Teachers who feel micromanaged will stop taking initiative and only do exactly what they’re told - nothing more. This is a productivity killer. And when you’re busy micromanaging, you’re taking your focus away from the big-picture stuff that grows the business. This is not the best investment of your time, expertise, or money. 

I cannot tell you how many teachers I’ve spoken to who loved their jobs but left because they’ve been passed over for too many promotions or have never got a raise that wasn’t because of a minimum wage increase. If you’re running to job boards (or even DreamHire Express) any time you have an opening, you’re doing your staff and your business a disservice. Your staff needs to see a future with you. If they feel stuck, soon they’ll be sticking up the peace sign. 

Imagine working at McDonald’s and being asked to buy your own receipt paper or wrap burgers at home. Sounds ridiculous, right? That’s how crazy it sounds when you’re paying at or below industry standard and expecting your teachers to buy their own materials or work off the clock making lesson plans, newsletters, etc. If you’re not giving them enough prep time or resources, you’re crossing into their personal time and finances and, in the words of Kimberly “Sweet Brown” Wilkins, "ain’t nobody got time for that."

If any of these points hit a little too close to home - it’s OKAY. There’s still time to turn things around. Start by listening to the staff you already have and make small changes from there. It will make a world of difference.