BURNOUT AND TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG ELEMENTARY TEACHERS: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1163007

Keywords:

Burnout, Elementary Teachers, Turnover Intention, Well-Being

Abstract

Teacher turnover is a crucial issue and has a significant impact on student outcome and school performance in the education sector. Burnout is characterized by anxiety, fatigue and indifference towards work is a major factor that influencing teachers’ turnover intention affects the quality of education. Consideration to leaving their position increases teachers to accept alternative employment. To maintaining excellent teaching, students’ achievement and learning outcome, improving work environment, practical and supportive policies and effective workload management are essential to reduce burnout and increase teacher well-being and retention. This study is focused to examine the relationship between burnout and teacher turnover intention on elementary teachers in the Melaka Tengah District of Melaka.  Sample size was 332, using via Google Form utilizing quantitative method approach. Positive relationship was found in this study indicating that higher level of burnout significantly influenced teacher’s turnover intention. Critical role of burnout is recognized and to manage this issue holistic approach is essential to cope teacher turnover intention. These findings, provide valuable comprehension for educational stakeholder and institutional focus to escalate supportive work environment with feasible intervention to delineation specific initiative to enhance teacher retention and well-being in their profession.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Al Sabei, S. D., Labrague, L. J., Miner Ross, A., Karkada, S., Albashayreh,A., Al Masroori, F., et al. (2020). Nursing Work Environment,Turnover Intention, Job Burnout, and Quality of Care: TheModerating Role of Job Satisfaction. J Nurs Scholarsh, 52(1), 95–104.

Al-Suraihi, A., Alghamdi, S., & Alzahrani, F. (2021). Financial implications of employee turnover: Recruitment and training costs. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(7), 1450-1465.

Amelia, R. (2024). Analyzing the influences of cyber-loafing, quiet quitting, and job satisfaction on teacher performance in non-formal educational institutions. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary, 3(1), 74–82. https://doi.org/10.38035/ijam. v3i1.535.

Anees, M., Khan, S., & Malik, R. (2021). Factors contributing to brain drain in higher education: A review. Journal of Educational Research, 45(3), 123-135.

Anees, R. T., Heidler, P., Cavaliere, L. P. L., & Nordin, N. A. (2021). Brain Drain in Higher Education. The Impact of Job Stress and Workload on Turnover Intention and the Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction at Universities. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 6(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2021.6.3.849.

Arvidsson I, Leo U, Larsson A, Hakansson C, Persson R, Björk J (2019). Burnout among schoolteacher: Quantitative and qualitative results from a follow-up study in southern sweden. BMC Public Health, 19. Retrieved on January 7.

Bautista, R. B. (2026). Beyond the surface: An exploration of emotional labor on burnout and turnover intentions among public employees. Journal of Empirical and Non-Empirical Research, 2(2), 379–394.

Bazer, S. C., & Estigoy, E. B. (2021). COVID-19 outbreak anxiety: Attitude and preventive actions of Filipino teachers in Shaanxi, China, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 5(4), 1-8

Belay, A. A., Gasheya, K. A., Engdaw, G. T., Kabito, G. G., & Tesfaye, A. H. (2023). Work-related burnout among public secondary school teachers is significantly influenced by the psychosocial work factors: A cross-sectional study from Ethiopia. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1215421

Boamah, S. A., Aziz, N., & Rahman, H. (2022). Teacher shortages and turnover in Malaysian schools: Challenges and solutions. Malaysian Journal of Education, 47(1), 45-60.

Boamah, S. A., Hamadi, H. Y., Havaei, F., Smith, H., & Webb, F. (2022). Striking a Balance between Work and Play: The Effects of Work-Life Interference and Burnout on Faculty Turnover Intentions and Career Satisfaction. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 809. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020809

Bothma, C.F.C, & Roodt, G. (2013). The validation of the turnover intention scale. SA Journal of Human Resource Management/SA 11(1), Art.#507, 12 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.412/sajhrm.v11i1.507

Che Ali, N., & Surat, S. (2025). The relationship between burnout and intention to leave work among primary school teachers. International Journal of Islamic Products and Malay Civilization, 4(2), 1–20.

Che Ani, S., Mohd Zake, N. A., Ali Akbar, N. A., Ramzi, N. A. N., & Mohd Zamziba, N. A. (2025). Teaching on the edge: How workload drives burnout among Malaysian Educators. International Journal of Academic Research in Business & Social Sciences, 15(5), 71–83.

Chen, L., & Chen, Y. (2021). Teacher turnover in Malaysian schools: Causes and consequences. Asian Journal of Education, 39(2), 200-215.

Chen, Y., Lee, M., & Goh, T. (2023). Burnout and turnover intention among secondary school teachers in urban districts. International Journal of Educational Psychology, 12(2), 99-115.

Chenevert, D., Kilroy, S. and Bosak, J. (2019), “The role of change readiness and colleague support in the role stressors and withdrawal behaviors relationship among health care employees”, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 208-223.

Collie, R. J. (2023). Teacher well‐being and turnover intentions: Investigating the roles of Job Resources and job demands. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(3), 712–726. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12587.

Demerouti, E., & Bakker, A. B. (2023). Job demands-resources theory in times of crises: New propositions. Organizational Psychology Review, 13(3), 209-236. https://doi.org/10.1177/20413866221135022.

D’Silva (2022, April 23rd). Increasing administrative work, demanding parents among reasons teachers quitting early. New Straits Times Online. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/04/791951/increasingadministrative-work-demanding-parents-among-reasons-teachers.

Ejimonye, J. C. (2025). Teachers’ perception of the impact of brain drain and migration in secondary schools in post COVID-19 era for sustainable education systems in Nsukka Local government area. International Journal of Studies in Education (Special Edition), 21(2), 59–69.

Einar M. Skaalvik & Sidsel Skaalvik (2020). Teacher burnout relations between dimensions of burnout, perceived school context, job satisfaction and motivation for teaching. A longitunal study, Teachers and Teaching, 26:7-8, 602-616, https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2021.1913404.

Faria, L., & Porto, S. (2026). Burnout as a path between decent work and turnover intention: The buffering effect of calling. Social Sciences, 15(131), 1–17.

Fiorillo, A., Sampogna, G., Giallonardo, V., del Vecchio, V., Luciano, M., Albert, U., Carmassi, C., Carra, G., Cirulli, F., Dell’Osso, B., Nanni, M. G., Pompili, M., Sani, G., Tortorella, A., & Volpe, U. (2020). Effects of the lockdown on the mental health of the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: Results from the COMET collaborative network. European Psychiatry, 63(1). https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.89.

Fu, Wangqian & Pan, Qianqian & Zhang, Caiyun & Cheng, Li. (2020). Influencing factors of Chinese special education teacher turnover intention: understanding the roles of subject well-being, social support, and work engagement. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. 68. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2020.1780553.

Goldhaber, D. & Theobald, R. (2023). Teacher Turnover Three Years into the Pandemic Era: Evidence from Washington State. (CALDER Policy Brief No. 32-0223). Arlington, VA: Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research.

Goldhaber, D., & Theobald, R. (2023). Teacher morale and turnover: A critical review. Educational Review, 75(1), 1-20.

Hardianto, A., Wibowo, T., & Santoso, D. (2019). Impact of teacher turnover on student achievement: Evidence from Indonesia. International Journal of Educational Development, 66, 1-10.

Hatfield, J. L., & Kuvaas, B. (2026). Perceiving goals as Invariable: The mediating role of job autonomy, self-efficacy on Norwegian teachers’ and principals’ intrinsic motivation, burnout, and turnover intention. Learning and Instruction, 102, 1–15.

Heffernan A., Bright D., Kim M., Longmuir F., Magyar B. (2022). ‘I cannot sustain the workload and the emotional toll': reasons behind Australian teachers' intentions to leave the profession. Aust. J. Educ. 66, 196–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/00049441221086654.

Henry, G. T., & Redding, C. (2020). Teacher turnover and student outcomes in Malaysia. Journal of Educational Policy, 35(4), 567-585.

Izzati, W. N., & Amirah, N. A. (2025). Job stress in teaching profession in Malaysia: A recent comprehensive structured review. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, IX(VIII), 2894–2910. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.908000236

Javed, M., & Riaz, M. (2019). Organizational culture and teacher retention: The mediating role of job satisfaction. Journal of Educational Administration, 57(4), 367-381.

Johnson, A. B., & Smith, C. D. (2022). The impact of workload and school climate on teacher burnout in secondary schools. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(3), 456-478. https://doi:10.1037/edu000048

Jones-Presley, A. (2023). The cost of replacing teachers: Effects on student learning. Education Finance and Policy, 18(1), 34-56.

Lazzari, M., Russo, P., Conti, R. (2022). Understanding turnover intention: Psychological and behavioral perspectives. Human Resource Management Review, 32(2), 100-115.

Li, R., & Yao, M. (2022). What promotes teachers’ turnover intention? evidence from a meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 37, 100477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100477

Madigan, D. J., & Kim, L. E. (2021). Exploring the relationship between burnout and turnover intentions among teachers: The role of job satisfaction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(4), 658-671.

Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (1986). Maslach burnout inventory manual (2nd ed.). Consulting Psychologists Press.

Md Shah, S., Noranee, S., Munir, Z. A., Noranee, S., Shahruddin, S., & Mujanah, S. (2024). The influence of work-life balance, workload and work environment on burnout among teachers in Melaka Tengah District, Malaysia. Information Management and Business Review, 16(1(I)S), 137–152. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v16i1(i)s.3736

Menon, H. A., Lee Shee, T., Ahmad Zaini, L. S. B., Wan Othman, W. N., Zainudin, Z. N., & Anuar, M. (2024). Factors of burnout among teachers: A systematic review. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(1), 123–145.

Metin, M., Yilmaz, E., & Demir, S. (2021). Causes of teacher burnout and turnover intention in Turkey. Educational Studies, 47(5), 590-606.

Menzies, L. (2023). Continuity and churn: Understanding and responding to the impact of teacher turnover intention. London Review of Education, 21(1), 1-13.

Mohd, N., & Ismail, R. (2019). Teacher turnover in Malaysia: A systematic review. Malaysian Journal of Educational Research, 44(2), 101-115.

Na lipay, M. J. N., King, R. B., Haw, J. Y., Mordeno, I. G., & Dela Rosa, E. D. (2021). Teachers who believe that emotions are changeable are more positive and engaged: The role of emotion mindset among in and preservice teachers. Learning and Individual Differences, 92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2021.102050

National Union of Teachers. (2022). Teacher retirement trends in Malaysia. NUT Annual Report.

Nemeth. Z., Deak, P., Szucs, R., et al. (2024). Validation of the Hungarian version of the 6- item turnover intention scale among elderly care workers. Science and Reports, 14. 15593. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66671-0.

Ntouka, E., Antonopoulou, H., Rekka, E., Gkintoni, E., & Halkiopoulos, C. (2026). Employment precarity as an organizational determinant of teacher burnout and mental health: Validation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey among Greek primary education teachers. Societies, 16(52), 1–47.

Nugroho, A., & Afifah, N. (2021). Teacher engagement and retention: A study in Indonesian schools. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(3), 567-580.

Nkyi, A. K., & Owusu, D. (2023). Effects of Occupational Stress and Burnout on Turnover Intentions among Teachers: A Case Study from Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana (pp. 1–19). https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/pller/v3/6992e

Rahman, M. R., Isa, M. F., & Hassan, R. (2024). Trends and implications of teacher burnout in Malaysia: A national survey. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 21(1), 89-104.

Rahimi, M., & Arnold, B. (2024). Understanding Australia’s teacher shortage: the importance of psychosocial working conditions to turnover intentions. Australian Educational Researcher. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-024-00720-5

Rajendran, N., Watt, H. M., & Richardson, P. W. (2020). Teacher burnout and turnover intent. The Australian Educational Researcher, 47(3), 477-500.

Rajendran, N., Kumar, S., & Lee, J. (2020). Examining the prevalence and impact of burnout among public school teachers. Educational Research Review, 30, 100-120.

Razman, E., Kamarudin, D., Hussain, Y., & Rujie, M. (2025). Workload and burnout among Malaysian preschool educators: The need for professional support. TPM–Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 32(S9), 2441–2449.

Rijasawitri, P., & Suana, I. W. (2020). Non-physical work environment and its effects on teacher turnover intentions. International Journal of Education Policy, 15(2), 198-213.

Rasool, S. F., Wang, M., Tang, M., Saeed, A., & Iqbal, J (2021). How toxic workplace environments effects the employee engagement: The mediating role of organizational support and employee well-being. International Journal of Environment, Research and Public Health, 18(5) https://doi.org.ijerph18052294

Saad, S. M., et al. (2022). Investigating the influence of work environment on turnover intentions in elementary schools. Journal of Primary Education, 18(1), 34-52.

Safutra, E., & Herfianti, M. (2024). Pengaruh stres kerja dan kepuasan kerja terhadap turnover intention karyawan (studi kasus pada karyawan pt. nusantara surya sakti (nss) kota bengkulu). https://doi.org/10.36085/jems.v5i1.5958

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Method for Business Study. Harlow: Pearson Education.

Skelton, C., et al. (2019). The impact of high turnover on organizational performance. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 19(3), 45-60.

Srivastava, S., & Agrawal, R. (2020). Burnout in the workplace: Causes and consequences. International Journal of Management Studies, 27(1), 12-25.

Srivastava, S., &Agrawal, S. (2020). Resistance to change and turnover intention: A moderated mediation model of burnout and perceived organizational support. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 33(7), 1431–1447. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-02-2020-0063

Stock, W. A., & Carriere, J. (2021). Novice teachers and student achievement: The cost of turnover. Education Economics, 29(4), 350-370.

Suyono, J., Eliyana, A., & Ratmawati, D. (2020). The nightmare of turnover intentions for companies in Indonesia. Opcion, 36(91), 871–888.

Taie, S., & Lewis, L. (2023). Teacher attrition and mobility: Results from the National Teacher and Principal Survey. National Center for Education Statistics.

Teoh, K. B., & Kee, D. M. H. (2020). Psychosocial safety climate and burnout among academicians: the mediating role of work engagement. International Journal of Society Systems Science,12(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSS.2020.106946

Tetteh S, Dei Mensah R, Opata CN, Mensah CN (2022), "Service employees’ workplace fun and turnover intention: the influence of psychological capital and work engagement". Management Research Review, Vol. 45 No. 3 pp. 363–380, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-12-2020-0768

Thomas, N. S., Ahmad, N. A. & Mohd Fakhruddin, F. (2024). Exploring the Issue of Teacher Burnout in Malaysian Educational Settings. ANP Journal of Social Science and Humanities, 5(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.53797/anp.jssh.v5i1.4.2024

Verma, R., Verma, S., & Abhisek, K. (2024). Research Methodology. Booksclinic Publishing

Zarin, I., Kaur, K., Ismail, S., Choong, Y. V., & Chiong, C. S. (2021). Constructing a New Stress Index for Teachers in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(7). https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i7/10541

Zhang, Q., Li, X., & Gamble, J. H. (2022). Teacher Burnout and turnover intention in higher education: The mediating role of job satisfaction and the moderating role of proactive personality. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1076277

Zhang, Y., et al. (2022). Factors influencing teacher turnover intentions: A comprehensive review. Journal of Teacher Education, 73(2), 187-204.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-03

How to Cite

Md Shah, S., & Omar, N. F. (2026). BURNOUT AND TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG ELEMENTARY TEACHERS: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY . INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELLING (IJEPC), 11(63), 136–150. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1163007