Invisible Labour: Principals’ Emotional Labour in Volatile Times, Wilkinson et al., 2025, is a four-part report based on research into the challenges currently facing school principals in Australia amid increasing social, political, and environmental volatilities. The study is a collaboration between Monash University, Deakin University, and the University of Sydney.
The report draws on 298 critical incident testimonies from 256 principals across Australia between 2023-2024, stakeholder interviews, case studies, and a policy audit.
Report Two: The Emotional Labour of the School Principal, focuses on 3 areas: how emotional labour is experienced by Australian public-school principals; what the significant personal and contextual factors are that impact this experience; and what theoretical and practical tools could help support principals.
Cool, Calm and Collected
The research uncovered three key themes. The first was the impact of principals wearing a professional mask while daily managing the emotions of others while needing to be perceived as “cool, calm and collected”. This included diffusing tension between staff, calming down angry or concerned parents and assisting students to self-regulate. The report identified that the level of emotional detachment required to do this can negatively impact on the emotional wellbeing of the principal. One leader spoke of the “immense weight of loss and anger that this should happen at a workplace, but I had to internalize this to be the leader – the school leader – calm, supportive and caring” (pp.12). Principals spoke of how they would have liked staff to check in with them and provide support at times of crisis and also how critical incidents increased their negative coping strategies such as increased alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation.
The Toll of Isolation
The second theme was the emotional labour of principalship in regional, rural, and remote schools. While principals of regional, rural, and remote schools have a history of feeling satisfaction in their role and feeling supported by the community, recent WH&S research found that these principals were at higher risk of anxiety and self-harm than other principals. Increased responsibilities of being a community leader during natural disasters and community issues, lack of access to resources and impacts of isolation were all believed to be factors impacting the level of risk.
Health and Wellbeing Impacts
The third theme was the bodily impact of emotional labour. Principals reported impacts to their physical health and wellbeing following a critical incident. They spoke of needing counselling, losing sleep while trying to think of solutions and increased stress levels in dealing with negative emails from parents. Another principal spoke of developing diabetes as a result of stress. The testimonies also spoke of risk to physical safety including during student aggressive behaviour towards other students and staff and the fear and anxiety around someone turning up at the school to attack you or someone else about “something you do not know about”. There is also the stress of involvement in physical health events at schools. One principal spoke of having to give mouth to mouth resuscitation to a staff member who had a heart attack and another spoke of having to stand with a body awaiting emergency services following a death on site while keeping parents and students away from the area.
Time for a Reconceptualisation
The report makes a series of recommendations and in summary states: “Australian public-school principals are deeply committed to their communities, often at great personal cost. Their emotional labour is vital yet undervalued. This report calls for a reconceptualisation of the principalship – one that acknowledges its intensified emotional demands and principals’ role as first responders. Systemic change is essential to ensure principals are supported, retained and empowered to lead schools that foster equity and social justice.”
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