Workload refers to the number of working hours, indicating the extent to which staff schedules are compatible with family life and the physical demands of the job. Large group sizes, low staff-child ratios and a heavy workload are potential stressors for ECEC practitioners. Some research findings show the effects of workload on ECEC quality, indicating that practitioners with a heav>' workload perform less well than colleagues with lighter schedules (De Schipper etal., Contact hours with children and the extent of non-teaching duties may also affect the attractiveness of the teaching workforce.