Focus on teacher educators
Teacher educators in higher education balance multiple responsibilities: teaching, supervising their students’ teaching placements, mentoring, and extensive administrative work. These demands leave little space for engagement with research, which is increasingly valued in metrics-driven universities.
We found that the bureaucratisation of higher education in Ireland and the UK has led to excessive paperwork, compliance tasks, and constant system changes. One teacher educator told us: “A good 70% of my workload now is almost just admin, which is very depressing.”
Combined, these can leave little time for the more creative or professionally enriching aspects of the role, such as curriculum design, teaching or research. “I often feel I have produced nothing at the end of the week, and there is no sense of development,” one said.
Rustout can also occur when there is a misalignment between professional aspirations and job demands. For example, in our study, some highly qualified teacher educators with significant experience in research, leadership and teaching felt dragged down by repetitive, low-value tasks rather than work that aligned with their expertise.
As one said: “People can be pigeon-holed into a role, and they are left in that comfort zone rather than being challenged or invited to try something that might stimulate or get the creative juices flowing.” Some may be happy to sit with rustout for some time, but being stuck in this situation can lead to professional dissatisfaction.
Restricted professional growth can lead to feelings of rustout. This includes limited opportunities for career mobility, rigid structures, and a lack of workplace career support.
If employees are seen as a “safe pair of hands” who can keep the operation moving, their professional satisfaction is not addressed. “The conversation doesn’t happen; it’s just ‘Did you get the job done’,” one teacher educator said. “It’s not about work satisfaction; you are lucky to have your job.”
Hidden costs of rustout
Rustout has both personal and institutional consequences. On an individual level, it leads to disengagement, apathy and reduced motivation. One said they were “functioning without thriving,” with repetitive tasks eroding their sense of purpose.
Many teacher educators said they were unable to discuss dissatisfaction due to workplace culture and performance expectations. “Rustout exists in teacher education. Absolutely. However, I have no experience of ever having a conversation with anyone around it,” one said.
This may be because it suits everyone not to talk about it. Nothing is being rocked when staff are working and doing their jobs. This silence benefits institutions in the short term, since it maintains stability and delays difficult conversations. However, in the long term, it can contribute to retention issues, a negative workplace culture and possibly reduced innovation.
We believe rustout should be put on the mental health agenda in workplaces, just as burnout is. Employers must acknowledge that the wellbeing of their employees is integral to overall success.
