Leadership Traits and Teacher Retention: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Abstract

Teacher retention is a critical issue at present because teachers are under greater pressure and face increased workloads. They also have fewer opportunities to advance within the organization. Teacher turnover impacts both the learners and the organization in the sense that when teachers frequently quit, it negatively influences their work performance and teaching quality. At the same time, leadership is critical to the perception of teachers regarding their work and willingness to remain employed by the organization. Therefore, this paper seeks to explore the impact of leaders' personal attributes on teacher retention. Using the Social Exchange Theory (Blau, 1964) and theory of leadership, it is proposed that positive leaders' behaviours enhance teacher retention by generating positive attitudinal and psychological outcomes. Quantitative research design with an explanatory approach is adopted. The research collected primary data from 350 teachers from both public and private educational institutions in India using a structured questionnaire. This research utilizes advanced statistical techniques, i.e., Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), hierarchical regression, and bootstrapping mediation, to assess the proposed relationships. The results reveal that the qualities of leadership have a substantial influence on the duration of time spent in the job by teachers. Moreover, job satisfaction and organizational commitment were seen to have partially mediated the relationship between the constructs. This reveals that the qualities of leadership have a direct and substantial influence on the duration of time spent in the job by teachers. A more substantial mediating effect was seen in the case of organizational commitment. The study contributes to the literature by developing a model for Indian schools with multiple mediators. It also offers useful information to policymakers and educational institutions.