Work demands and work resources in ECEC – turnover intentions explored

Abstract

Work climate affects the quality of early childhood education and care activities. The aim was to explore how the staff describe demands and resources in their jobs, and whether different profiles could be distinguished among those with turnover intentions and those without. The research was based on the Job Demands-Resources model [Bakker, A. B., and E. Demerouti. 2007. “The Job Demands-Resources model: State of the art.’ Journal of Managerial Psychology 22 (3): 309–328]. The study used a mixed-methods approach. The results showed that the profiles of those with turnover intentions and those without were similar in terms of perceived resources, but that they differed in terms of perceived demands. Those with turnover intentions reported more aspects related to work demands (e.g. workload, number of children, low pay). The findings also showed that work guidance and support from leaders and special education teachers were linked to turnover intentions. This research improves our knowledge of risk factors related to turnover intentions and can contribute to the development of high-quality working conditions.