Enhancing Teacher Resilience and Job Satisfaction in Contemporary Schools: Leadership Strategies for Reducing Burnout and Turnover

Abstract

Abstract Teacher resilience and job satisfaction are increasingly recognised as fundamental to educational quality, teacher retention, and sustainable school improvement, particularly in contexts characterised by increasing workload, policy reforms, and rapid technological change. This study investigated the influence of school leadership strategies on teacher resilience, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intentions among teachers in public secondary schools in North-Central Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design with correlational and predictive components was adopted. Using a multistage sampling procedure, 540 teachers were selected from public secondary schools across the region. Data were collected using five validated instruments: the School Leadership Strategies Questionnaire (SLSQ), Teacher Resilience Scale (TRS), Teacher Job Satisfaction Inventory (TJSI), Burnout Assessment Scale (BAS), and Turnover Intention Scale (TIS). The instruments yielded Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from.82 to.91. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product – Moment Correlation, and Multiple Regression Analysis at the.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that supportive leadership practices, particularly professional development, mentoring, recognition, participatory decision-making, and emotional support, were significantly associated with higher teacher resilience (r =.732, p <.001) and job satisfaction (r =.687, p <.001). Burnout significantly predicted turnover intention (β =.621, p <.001), while mentoring and coaching emerged as the strongest predictors of resilience and teacher recognition as the strongest predictor of job satisfaction. The study concludes that supportive school leadership constitutes a vital organisational resource for enhancing teachers’ psychological well-being, reducing burnout, and promoting workforce sustainability. It recommends strengthening leadership preparation programmes, institutionalising teacher wellness initiatives, and embedding mentoring and recognition practices within school management to improve teacher retention and educational effectiveness in Nigeria. Keywords: School Leadership Strategies; Teacher Resilience; Job Satisfaction; Burnout; Turnover Intention; North-Central Nigeria