Teachers' and school Leaders' perspectives on school Leadership's role in promoting staff well-being in the United Arab Emirates

School leaders play a key role in encouraging collaboration, providing learning opportunities, and enhancing teachers' well-being in their teaching careers. Although the international study highlights the importance of school leaders in shaping staff well-being, empirical research on the impact of leadership practices on staff well-being from 'teachers' and 'leaders' perspectives from United Arab Emirates remain limited. Therefore, the study aims at exploring the impact of school leadership on staff well-being in United Arab Emirates educational institutions, using the Job Demands-Resources theory as a relevant theoretical framework. To achieve this aim, case study research design is employed. The study is limited in five UAE schools across all three cycles (cycles 1-3). The study includes 11 interviewees recruited through purposive sampling from five schools across various school cycles. Through thematic qualitative analysis of interviews with 11 educators, including teachers and administrators, the study reveals how leadership approaches directly influence staff well-being. Nvivo software is employed to analyze data. The findings indicate that authoritarian leadership increased stress and disengagement, with teachers describing strict, top-down decision-making that overlooks their expertise. In contrast, transformative and compassionate leadership promoted collaboration and well-being, as demonstrated by principals who actively supported staff needs and professional development. Major obstacles include excessive workloads, cultural divisions, and a lack of parental support, with instructors reporting unsustainable demands and institutional disparities in resource distribution. Participants of the study also asserts that school leaders made significant efforts to enhance staff well-being by acknowledging and appreciating their contributions, fostering open communication, giving access to counseling and support services, and reducing workload. This study has significant implications for leadership in educational environments in the United Arab Emirates, where conflicts arise over inclusivity, cultural barriers, and authoritarian leadership styles.The study primarily advances knowledge and comprehension of organizational culture, staff support, and leadership transformation in UAE educational contexts. '