The relationship between social environmental support, job satisfaction and turnover intention of rural primary school teachers in Pingyin County, China

Abstract

The main objective of the current research is to identify the relationship between social environmental support, job satisfaction, and turnover intention of rural primary school teachers in Pingyin County, China. Social environmental support refers to the behavior of interactions that provide individuals with positive material and spiritual assistance. An individual's subjective evaluation of their employment is known as job satisfaction. Turnover intention is the term used to describe a person's intent to leave their current organization. The current study utilized a survey research design, in which a series of detailed questionnaires were developed through various processes. Data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires among 132 rural teachers of primary schools in Pingyin County. The sample was drawn by using the simple random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were utilized for data analysis. The results of the study indicated that rural teachers have a moderate level of overall turnover intention, social environmental support, job satisfaction and turnover intention differed significantly based on their age and educational background. And job satisfaction has a significantly positive correlation with social environmental support and a negative correlation with turnover intention. This means that social support and job satisfaction have a significant effect on rural teachers’ turnover intention, rural teachers who were unsatisfied with their jobs and social support were more inclined to leave the profession than who were satisfied. Therefore, it is imperative for rural school managers to create appropriate initiatives which could cultivate a culture of social environmental support and enhance job satisfaction of teachers. High rates of teacher turnover are a significant concern for China's rural schools. The findings of the study enrich the knowledge about turnover intention among rural teachers and inspire rural school administrators to establish a conducive work environment, foster a more supportive and democratic atmosphere to address teachers' professional requirements, enhance their job satisfaction, and mitigate turnover rate.