The purpose of this empirical study on the relationship between work stress and job satisfaction felt by high school teachers is to identify and consider an institutional counseling system that can effectively assist in inspiring the morale of those t...
The purpose of this empirical study on the relationship between work stress and job satisfaction felt by high school teachers is to identify and consider an institutional counseling system that can effectively assist in inspiring the morale of those teachers and managing their difficulties.
For the purpose of study, the following questions were examined.
First, what are the types of stress that teachers engaged in advising and counseling students have at work and what is the stress level of each variable?
Second, what are the types of job satisfaction that teachers engaged in advising and counseling students have at work and what is the satisfaction level of each variable?
Third, how does work stress affect job satisfaction?
For theses questions, concepts and main causes of work stress and job satisfaction of teachers were examined in the theoretical research, and a questionnaire was prepared to inquire into the necessity of counseling systems based on the level of work stress and job satisfaction of teachers.
The questionnaire was given to the sample population of 161 teachers at general high schools in Seoul. For the analysis of collected data, SPSS 10.0window program was used to test frequency, distribution, and correlation.
According to the analysis, the following findings are presented.
First, school administrations, compensation systems, interpersonal relations, teaching work itself, and school facilities are identified as main stressors to the teachers. As for the largest stressor, school administrations, opinions from teachers at work should be sufficiently reflected in the operation of education policies, and schools should also provide efficient administrative supports for the teachers to help them do their best in student advising and counseling activities. In addition, with regard to the matter of compensation systems, it is found that a more objective compensation system is required in the appointment of assigned teachers or incentive payments for the teachers. Considering the level of stress according to background variables, it is low for those young teachers in their twenties who have been teaching for one to five years with enthusiasm for education, and private school teachers appears to have a relatively low level of stress than those at public schools who need to move from one school to another according to their teaching term. Further, those member teachers to the Korean Teachers & Educational Worker's Union which is composed of many young teachers seem to have more stress than others not participating in any organization such as the Korean Federation of Teacher's Association, and single teachers are found to have less stress than the married managing both school and family affairs simultaneously.
Second, main causes of job satisfaction for the teachers are identified by order of interpersonal relations, working conditions, compensation systems and school administrations, showed a low level of satisfaction in general. Considering this according to background variables, male teachers showed a relatively higher level of satisfaction at work than females in general, teachers in their twenties marked the highest level of satisfaction among different age groups, and single teachers appeared to have a higher level of satisfaction than the married.
Also, private school teachers rather than those at public schools, member teachers to a certain organization than those without any membership, and homeroom teachers who have a certain position with responsibility or take in charge of a class than those temporary teachers having no special position with responsibility, showed a relatively high level of satisfaction at work. By grade, the third grade teachers who are likely to feel rewarded when students go on to university, in spite of much labors required to provide advising and counseling services for the student showed a relatively high level of satisfaction. Meanwhile, teachers with teaching careers of one to five years seemed to have a higher level of satisfaction than others.
Third, considering the relationship between work stress and job satisfaction, it is found that they are negatively correlated.
In this study, it is urgently suggested to establish counseling systems for teachers based on the result of research on their work stress and job satisfaction levels. Since teachers are one of the important elements in education, the level of job satisfaction of the teachers can be a base to raise the quality of educational activities. The analysis of stressors to the teachers aims at developing a way for the teachers to solve their problems at work. If the level of job satisfaction of teachers is uplifted by identifying stressors of the teachers at work and eliminating such stressors through physical and psychological remedies, the teachers can be highly motivated in performing the role of supporter helping students solve their own problems.