Mattering in school workplaces

‘Mattering’ is a concept that is coming of age. Bringing together ideas around belonging, connection, and purpose, mattering can be understood as consisting of feeling valued (and for some researchers, adding value is also a significant part). As Burghardt and Wallace inform us, “Feeling valued is the intrinsic assurance that you are significant to the people and places around you. Adding value is the sense that others rely and depend on you for help” (2025, p. 3).

Mattering has been consistently associated with lower stress, positive affect, wellbeing and self-esteem, and importantly anti-mattering (or the feeling one doesn’t matter) is associated with a host of poor outcomes including loneliness and mental health for adults (and students of all ages). In the workplace, mattering has been associated with job satisfaction, retention, and specifically for teachers, self-efficacy (mattering) and commitment (feeling valued).

How can we support school staff’s sense of mattering, and address the sense of not-mattering where it exists? We want to extend on strategies we may use to build belonging and connection within the workplace to include those that recognise and respect each person’s significant contribution.  In addition, encouraging people and teams to build reciprocal relationships with all staff members can be helpful in countering a sense of not-mattering, so that each staff member feels respected and valued by at least one other person on the team.

And what about for ourselves? Knowing the importance of mattering for ourselves and others is a great first step. For some of us, it can be a key piece of the puzzle.  We can take some time identifying who we do matter to, at school and outside of school too, and pay kind attention to these relationships. This helps us increase our awareness and appreciate who does value us, and find us important and significant just as we are. In turn, we can recognise those we value, who matter to us, and find ways of letting them know in our day to day dealings with them.  Mattering is human, and the give and take of mattering is available to us all.

References:

Harvard Center on the Developing Child [Burghardt and Wallace. (2025). Mattering in Early Childhood: Building a Strong Foundation for Life. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu

(Contact Melinda for further Mattering references).

Melinda Phillips, Director/Principal Psychologist at Compassionate Schools.
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