Influence of Selected Work Related Variables on Occupational Stress Among Teachers in Public Secondary Schools. Omwenga Lucy Kemunto
Abstract/ Overview
Occupational stress is a universal phenomenon that manifests itself among workers as a result of pressures originating from within and without the work place. Work stress has been known to have negative effects on performance and service delivery among workers and can therefore be expensive for organizations as it adversely affects organizational performance and productivity. Globally, teaching has been portrayed among the most stressful jobs. Given the significant role education plays in shaping society, the pivotal roles played by teachers globally and in Borabu Sub County of Nyamira County in particular cannot be over stated. Majority of the teachers‟ confess that they would opt for an alternative profession given an opportunity, a situation witnessed by a substantive number of teachers who leave their teaching employment to join other professions when opportunities arise. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the Influence of Selected Work Related Variables on Occupational Stress among Teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Borabu Sub County of Nyamira County. The study objectives were: to determine the influence of role overload on occupational stress among public secondary school teachers; to examine the influence of role ambiguity on occupational stress among public secondary scho ol teachers; to establish how promotion prospects influence occupational stress among public secondary school teachers; to explore how compensation influences occupational stress among public secondary school teachers and to establish the influence of student discipline on occupational stress among public secondary school teachers of Borabu Sub County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Person Environment Fit Theory of Caplan. The study employed convergent parallel research design within mixed method approach. The population of the study comprised of 212 public high school teachers, 21 principals, and 4 Education Officers. Saturated sampling was employed in the study. A sample size comprising of 212 teachers, 21 principals and four education officers of Borabu Sub County, Nyamira County, Kenya was obtained. Occupational stress questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from teachers while qualitative data was collected using interview schedules. Descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were u sed to analyze quantitative data while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic framework. To ensure reliability of the instruments, a pilot study was done to 9% of the population that did not participate in the actual study. In addition, reliability of instruments was determined using internal consistency and an index of 0.60 was obtained. Validity of the instruments was ensured by seeking expert judgment from university lecturers of the department of psychology. The study results revealed that high school teachers of Borabu Sub County had a significant amount of role overload at r=0.647. Additional findings indicated that teachers engaged in various activities besides actual teaching in class and that there was understaffing in most schools. Also, a c onsiderable role ambiguity was found at r=0.635. Due to a variety of conflicting roles, teachers experienced stress occasioned by multtasking of roles. Additionally, teachers promotion prospects were found to be inadequate at r=-.154 that portrayed slow career progression due to restricted promotions that influenced occupational stress among the teachers. Further, the study established that teachers were less compensated by the employer at r= -0.204. Moreover, it was found that remuneration was below expectation and it stressed the teachers. Finally, student indiscipline influenced teachers‟ occupational stress fairly at r= -0.424. Additionally, it was found that indiscipline of students influenced occupational stress among teachers. The study findings may be valuable to the school principals, teacher counselors and other education stake holders to apply adjustment interventions for occupational stress reduction.The study recommended that Teachers, School Principals, Teacher Counselors, other Education stake holders and Policy makers needed to apply adjustment interventions for occupational stress reduction among educators