Principals' environmental suffering in schools with poor indoor-air quality

The environmental suffering of contaminated communities has been analysed in depth. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the environmental suffering of such communities' leaders. Our study aimed to shed light on this issue through interviews with 20 principals working in schools with poor indoor-air quality in Finland. Based on reflexive thematical analysis, we identified three themes: (1) being burdened and powerless; (2) being on a knife-edge; (3) being worried in the face of the unknown. These themes were organised by three interpenetrating key factors: power, uncertainty, and responsibility. Although our principals shared the same experiences as members of contaminated communities in general, their environmental suffering also differed from those. Altogether, leading a school with poor indoor-air quality was a highly burdensome and stressful task. Research so far has mainly concentrated on contaminated communities in contexts of large-scale technological hazards and disasters. Researchers should pay closer attention to the everyday environmental suffering in schools and other workplaces and especially to their leaders since leaders play important roles in supporting well-being of followers in environments that are perceived as a threat.