Teachers’ job engagement: the personal and job resources that matter

This study examines the associations of teachers’ personal and job resources (occupational commitment, self-efficacy, collective efficacy, resilience & adaptability) to job engagement. To determine the relationships between constructs, we surveyed 170 Australian teachers during a period of disruption—COVID-19 pandemic. The Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) model provided a theoretical lens for examining teachers’ job-related characteristics (job demands, and job resources) and their influence on job engagement. Results of structural equation modelling show that high teacher self-efficacy is related to a high level of engagement; that teacher’s adaptability and resilience are positively associated with self-efficacy beliefs, as are collective teacher efficacy beliefs. These findings contribute to understanding the importance of personal and job resources in enhancing teachers’ commitment and job engagement. Conclusions include implications for preparing a teaching workforce for future disruptions. This study offers a reminder to policymakers and school leaders of the importance of work climates that nurture collective teacher efficacy, help to support teachers’ adaptability and resilience, which-in-turn, can influence teachers’ sense of self-efficacy when faced with challenging job demands.