A study of work stress and coping among primary school teachers in the Wellington region

Abstract

This research examines the perception of work stress among primary school teachers in the Wellington region. Specifically, it focuses on the way teachers perceive work stress, the contributing factors and the coping strategies employed. Interpretative phenomenological analysis is the qualitative approach and methodology chosen to examine the way teachers make sense of their stress experiences. The educational sector in New Zealand has undergone enormous legislative and organisational change and in the recent past there have been nationwide primary school teacher strikes. While research on teacher stress in New Zealand in relation to the 1989 major reforms has been published, there has been little recent qualitative research on work stress in primary school teachers.
 This study shows that these teachers experience moderate to high levels of stress because of work overload, the multiplicity of sources of stress, the emotional demands of the role and the frustration and constraints they face in role performance. Even so, these teachers derive satisfaction from the core job of teaching and utilise positive coping strategies to manage their stress and work demands, with most of them intending to stay in the role. However, the sustainability of the role of teaching is a concern, as societal misperceptions about teaching and lack of respect for them pose challenges for those continuing in the profession long term. This study contributes to the base literature on teacher stress in the New Zealand context and offers recommendations for supporting the well-being of primary school teachers.

Does Job Resources Really Matter for Educators in Klang Valley?

“…This has been the primary motivation to carry out this research. Moreover, there remains a lack of research on school teachers' stress and certain former researchers have already proposed it (Baliyan et al, 2018;Jain, 2021). Through the suggestion, the researchers have decided to conduct this research focusing on stress as the dependent variable and the school's teachers as the respondents.…”

Assessment of behavioral maintenance for organizational change in the context of Ethiopian commercial banks

“…After the initial adoption of new behaviors, individuals are theorized to evaluate the results of their efforts cognitively and emotionally. If the actual results reflect the desired results, the initial motivation is reinforced, and individuals are likely to make positive self-judgments and sustain their efforts (Jain, 2021). The nature and timing of anticipated and experienced outcomes impact behavior change maintenance.…”

“…It reflects a negative perception of the workplace through the extent to which staff is overloaded with constant pressure to keep working, leaving no time to relax (Jain, 2021). Overwhelming workloads are beyond the limits and set unrealistic expectations.…”