Relationship between workplace conditions, job satisfaction, psychological well-being and job commitment among teachers in Hong Kong

Abstract

To address the well-being of teachers, a study was conducted to explore the relationship among teachers’ workplace conditions, job satisfaction and commitment, and their psychological wellbeing. The study aimed to identify factors influencing teachers' well-being and work commitment. A cohort of 224 teachers in Hong Kong (34% male, mean age = 37.39 years, SD = 0.69) participated in the study by completing an online questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed their workplace conditions, job satisfaction, job commitment, and subjective wellbeing. The findings revealed that working conditions, which includes job design, workplace relationships, and leadership are mediated by job satisfaction in affecting teacher’s job commitment and their psychological well-being (ps < .01), with indirect effects ranging from .05 to .23. Furthermore, the study found direct contributions from workplace relationships (β = .29, p < .001) to teachers' well-being. The proposed path model demonstrated a good fit, supporting the mediated relationships examined. These findings provide important insights into the stressors faced by teachers in their workplace environment. Notably, workplace relationships and leadership were identified as crucial factors influencing teachers' job satisfaction, well-being and job commitment. In phase II, a group of 34 teachers (18% male, mean age = 37.4 years, SD = 7.62) participated in focus group interviews, providing additional support to the findings from the quantitative study. The interviews supported that workplace relationships and leadership were significant factors influencing the psychological well-being of teachers. This study gives insights towards enhancing teachers’ overall well-being and job retention.