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Workforce motivations and incentives for rural professionals

Team Members

Assoc Prof Philip Roberts
Natalie Downes
Dr Jenny Dean
Dr Melyssa Fuqua (UMelb)
Dr Amy McPherson (ACU)

Partners

This research aims to achieve long-term change in hard-to-staff non-metropolitan schools by understanding, promoting, and recognising the distinct nature of rural professional practice.

The staffing of rural, remote, and isolated schools has been a significant concern in Australia since the inception of compulsory schooling. To overcome this perennial challenge, education jurisdictions across the country generally turn to incentives as the main approach to encourage teachers to take up a position in a non-metropolitan school.

Overall, the use of financial incentives far outweighs any other type of incentives. There are limited examples of incentives focussed on the professional conditions in which teachers work. Instead, the dominance of financial incentives positions financial inducements, compensation and relocation as the main driver of behaviour. Motivation to work in non-metropolitan communities is situated in narrow human capital terms, informed by external motivators; there is limited focus on internal motivators.

Furthermore, there are no compulsory units in preservice teacher education to support the preparation for teaching in these communities. The existing approach fails to acknowledge the distinct nature of non-metropolitan practice, and the preparation needed for working in these locations.

This research aims to achieve long-term change in hard-to-staff non-metropolitan schools by understanding, promoting, and recognising the distinct nature of rural professional practice.

The staffing of rural, remote, and isolated schools has been a significant concern in Australia since the inception of compulsory schooling. To overcome this perennial challenge, education jurisdictions across the country generally turn to incentives as the main approach to encourage teachers to take up a position in a non-metropolitan school.

Overall, the use of financial incentives far outweighs any other type of incentives. There are limited examples of incentives focussed on the professional conditions in which teachers work. Instead, the dominance of financial incentives positions financial inducements, compensation and relocation as the main driver of behaviour. Motivation to work in non-metropolitan communities is situated in narrow human capital terms, informed by external motivators; there is limited focus on internal motivators.

Furthermore, there are no compulsory units in preservice teacher education to support the preparation for teaching in these communities. The existing approach fails to acknowledge the distinct nature of non-metropolitan practice, and the preparation needed for working in these locations.

This project brings together research from across several different REC projects, and includes:

  • A review of approaches to incentives for teachers to work in rural locations around Australia.
  • An analysis of the literature about workforce motivations and incentives.
  • Qualitative and quantitative data analysis related to incentives and rural school staffing.

This project aims to develop new approaches to support the staffing of rural and remote schools. In this project, the REC group supported the NSW Review of Incentives; the final report is available here.

Publications

  • Roberts, P., Cosgrave, C., Gillespie, J., Malatzky, C., Hyde, S., Hu, W. C., ... & Downes, N. (2021). ‘Re‐placing’ professional practice. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 29(2), 301-305.
  • Downes, N., Roberts, P., & Dean, J. (2021). Researching the schoolhouse: Rethinking research on the staffing of rural, remote and isolated schools in Australia (2000-2019). Available from: https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/en/publications/researching-the-schoolhouse-rethinking-research-on-the-staffing-o
  • NSW Department of Education with Societel Consulting. (2021). A Review of rural and remote incentives in NSW public schools’.
  • Downes, N., & Roberts, P. (2018). Revisiting the schoolhouse: A literature review on staffing rural, remote and isolated schools in Australia 2004-2016. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 28(1), 31-54.
  • Roberts, P., & Downes, N. (2020). The Challenges of Staffing Schools in a Cosmopolitan Nation: Rethinking the recruitment and retention of teachers in Australia through a spatial lens. In T. Ovenden-Hope, & R. Passy (Eds.). Exploring Teacher Recruitment and Retention (pp. 221-230). Routledge.
  • Roberts, P. & Downes, N. (2019). The Rural Difference Trope: Leader Perceptions on Rural, Regional and Remote Schooling Difference. Leading & Managing, 25(2), pp. 51-65.
  • Downes, N & Roberts, P. (2018). Revisiting the schoolhouse: A literature review on staffing rural, remote and isolated schools in Australia 2004-2016. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 28(1). pp.31-54.
  • Roberts, P. (2007). Shaping Future Staffing Systems to Support Students in Rural, Remote and Isolated Communities. Australian College of Educators Online. Refereed Article 46.
  • Roberts, P. (2005). Staffing an Empty Schoolhouse: Attracting and retaining teachers in rural, remote and isolated communities. Sydney, NSW. New South Wales Teachers Federation. ISBN 1875699368.

Related Projects

For further information on this project, please contact us.