Employee engagement, positive work environment and teachers’ job commitment in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined employee engagement, positive work environment and teachers’ job commitment in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. Two (2) research questions and 2 corresponding null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design, with a population of 7425 teachers from 290 public senior secondary schools in Rivers State, out of which a sample of 380 teachers were drawn using Taro Yamane minimum sample formula. The instruments for data collection were self-designed attitude scales titled: Employee Engagement and Positive Work Environment Scale (EEPWES) and Teachers’ Job Commitment Scale (TJCS). The two instruments were structured on a four points rating scale. The instruments were validated by the researcher’s supervisors and three (3) experts in the field of Measurement and Evaluation of the Department of Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling of the University of Port Harcourt. The reliability coefficient of the instruments obtained for Employee Engagement and Positive Work Environment Scale was given at 0.90 while reliability index for teachers’ job commitment yielded 0.79. Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient statistics was used to answer the research questions while z-value was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that, employee engagement and positive work environment jointly relate to teachers’ job commitment to a very high relationship 88.5%. Based on the findings, the study concluded that, employee engagement and positive work environment are strong variables and jointly relate to teachers’ job commitment. The study recommended among others that, school administrators should organize regular training, workshops and opportunities for employees’ engagement, along with reward systems to recognise excellence in teaching. Also, government and school management should ensure regular maintenance and upgrading of physical environments so as to boost teachers’ morale and commitment.