People choose to work in Education for many reasons, but for most, making a difference for children, young adults and mature students really matters.
That sense of purpose is inspirational and hugely valuable, but it doesn’t automatically mean people will feel engaged with the organisation they work in. Workload, constant change, policy developments and pressure on resources can all have an impact on how people feel about their working lives.
We work with:
- Schools
- Multi-Academy Trusts
- Colleges
- Universities
- Further Education providers
- Adult learning organisations
Our role is to understand what matters most to your organisation and your people and then help you communicate even more clearly, develop stronger leaders and create organisations where people feel heard and involved.
Book a discovery call >Why employee engagement matters in Education
Education organisations are asking a great deal of their people, often at a time when recruiting and keeping good staff is already difficult:
- Heavy workloads and pressure on resources can affect staff morale and wellbeing
- Different roles, departments and locations can have very different experiences of working for the same organisation
- People can feel strongly connected to their students, subject or profession, but less connected to the wider organisation
- New technology, evolving policies, restructures and changing ways of working can create uncertainty or change fatigue
- Leaders often need to bring together teaching, support staff, governors, departments or campuses behind shared priorities
- When people don’t feel heard, it can become harder to keep them engaged and retain the experience and knowledge they bring.
Strong employee engagement won’t remove the pressures facing Education. But it can help create an environment where people understand where the organisation is going, feel able to contribute and know that their voice matters.
That gives leaders a stronger foundation to improve staff experience, support wellbeing and keep good people, which in turn helps create better outcomes for students.
Helping Education organisations build stronger teams
The challenges facing a university won’t always be the same as those facing a college, Multi-Academy Trust or other education provider. Even within one organisation, teaching, academic and professional services staff can experience working life very differently.
Our track record working with organisations across the Education sector means we understand the pressures your people face. But we don’t assume we know what’s happening in your organisation. We take the time to understand that first, then bring together the right people from Axiom and tailor our support around what you actually need.
From listening to your people and developing leaders to managing change and bringing teams together, our support is practical and focused on what you want to achieve.
Understand what it’s really like to work in your organisation
Teaching, academic and professional services staff can have very different experiences of the same organisation.
We help you listen to your people, understand what’s working and uncover the issues that may be affecting staff engagement, wellbeing or retention. Then we help you decide what to do about them and partner with you to make a difference.
Helping your leaders bring out the best in people
Being an experienced teacher, academic or education professional doesn’t automatically prepare someone for the challenges of leading and inspiring others.
We help leaders communicate effectively, handle difficult conversations and build stronger teams, through coaching, mentoring and training shaped around the real-world challenges and pressures the people they lead face.
Bring your people with you through change
New technology, evolving policies, restructures, funding pressures and changing ways of working will be affecting your people every day, potentially impacting their morale and performance.
We help you involve your people as soon as possible, understand their concerns and communicate change in a way that makes sense. That way they know what’s happening, why it matters, and what it means for them and the students they support.
Connect everyday work to the bigger picture
When people are soley focused on their students, subject, department or role, the wider organisational priorities and context can sometimes feel distant, even disconnected.
Our Big Picture approach brings your overarching strategy to life, helping your people understand where the organisation is going, the part they can play in getting there and the difference you want to make to students.
Make space for the conversations that matter
Different departments, faculties and stakeholder groups won’t always see things in the same way, which often can surface in various meetings, both online and in-person.
Our professional facilitators help people have productive conversations, work through different perspectives and reach a way forward – without losing sight of what you need to achieve.
Bring your people together around a shared experience
Meetings, conferences and events can give busy people the rare time and space to look beyond their day-to-day roles.
Whether you’re bringing people together around a new strategy, an important change or the start of a new academic year, we help you create an event that people want to be part of and inspired by.
Build the skills your people need
Education is a demanding environment, and the skills people need extend well beyond their professional expertise.
With more than 60 skills and wellbeing workshops, we can support your people with everything from communication and people management to resilience, leadership and wellbeing.
Find out what’s making a difference
If you’ve invested in improving staff engagement, developing your people and supporting change, you’ll want to know what’s working and what could be even better.
We help you measure the impact of your activities, understand where things have shifted and use those insights to laser-target what needs to come next.
Let’s talk – we’re communicators after all
If you would like to better engage your people and would value an outside perspective, book a free discovery call with one of our experts.
Making a difference in Financial & Professional Services
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Read the Swansea University/Hilary Rodham Clinton case study >
Launching important research and bringing the higher education community together through a virtual event
”From the outset Axiom understood what we wanted to achieve, were enthusiastic about this project, and offered a lot of support. Chris was involved from day one. I couldn’t have asked for a better collaborator - he was just spot on and amazing to work with. He had great ideas, coached us through sessions, was generous with his time and gave us an incredible number of tips for how to make our event a big success. The outcome was so good, and Axiom deserves at least half the glory for that. Their quote was also competitive, so it really wasn’t a difficult decision for us to go with Axiom in the end. It was wonderful to work with Axiom, they are a great company, and I would work with them again anytime.
Anna Einarsdottir, Principle Investigator, LGBT+ Networks & Senior Lecturer, University of York
Education engagement FAQs
Can employee engagement improve staff wellbeing?
Yes. Employee engagement can certainly contribute to staff wellbeing as part of a holistic approach. The key is to co-create an environment of psychological safety, where colleagues feel comfortable opening up and candidly sharing their lived experience. We can then help you identify targeted actions to address the unique challenges your organisation faces.
How do you measure employee engagement in educational organisations?
We draw on a range of tools and techniques, honed over more than three decades, to provide both qualitative and quantitative measures and insights. We then work with you to use those findings to shape future action plans.
Can you help improve staff retention?
Yes. We can work with you to carefully curate communication messages, leadership behaviours and motivation techniques that give your colleagues compelling ‘reasons to believe’, stay with your organisation and contribute to its success. Ultimately, that can also have a positive impact on your students.
Our staff are already under pressure. How do you avoid creating even more work?
By creating clarity around what matters most in your organisation, we can help you and your colleagues understand where to focus their energy – and where not to. Working together, we may even identify things that colleagues can stop doing.
Do you only work with senior leaders?
No. We’re passionate about making a difference to all colleagues involved in creating positive outcomes for students, irrespective of their seniority.