A longitudinal analysis of the reciprocal relationship between teacher job satisfaction, workplace climate, and early childhood teachers' turnover intention

Abstract

Turnover intention is a multi-faceted process influenced by various factors, such as job satisfaction and workplace climate. However, previous studies have not thoroughly examined the interplay between these factors and turnover intention. To fill this research gap, this empirical study proposed a reverse interaction relationship between turnover intention and its determinants. Using a longitudinal research approach with data collected at three time points over a year, this research provide a new perspective on turnover intention within the context of Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers, emphasizing the dynamic interaction among turnover intention, workplace climate, and job satisfaction. The results concluded that high job satisfaction and positive workplace climate at earlier time points are associated with low turnover intention in subsequent period. The conclusion also suggested that high turnover intention at time point one (T1) was significantly correlated with low workplace climate and job satisfaction at time point two (T2) and three (T3). However, the relationship between workplace climate and job satisfaction is negative. This unexpected finding may attributed to the high pressure associate with some preschools' high requirement for teachers Based on the conclusions, ECE administrators can learn some perspectives about how to increase teachers' job satisfaction and build a suitable working environment in order to reduce teachers' turnover intention.