Mid and late-career teachers at high risk of leaving profession

Mid-career and late-career teachers are just as likely to leave the teaching profession as early-career teachers are, according to latest data.

A study by Dr Ben Arnold and Dr Mark Rahimi, which examined the turnover rates of Australian teachers, found that higher work-life conflict was an important factor connected to an increased desire to leave among mid and late-career teachers.

The study, which surveyed data from 744 primary and secondary teachers in mainstream Australian government schools, investigated the likelihood of educators leaving their positions based on attitudes and responses towards a number of questions about their jobs.

Questions were asked which addressed issues related to the frequency of thoughts about leaving their current role, considering alternative employment, the degree of personal and goal fulfilment in their current job, and their enthusiasm for their work.

It found that the longer a teacher remained in their current role, the more at risk they were of leaving the profession altogether.

Dr Arnold, Senior Lecturer in Education Leadership, said there were multiple reasons why mid and late-career teachers were opting to leave the profession.

“Understanding why teachers leave their jobs is complex, and it goes beyond the usual emphasis on burnout and stress,” he said.

“Our analysis of teachers in Australian government schools shows that there isn’t just one reason—multiple factors are important, including motivation, emotional demands, work environment, career stage, and mental health.

“Critical factors like commitment to the workplace, work-life conflict, and the emotional demands of the work environment are closely tied to teachers’ decisions to stay or leave their jobs.”

The study also analysed indicators important towards shaping teachers’ intentions to leave or remain in their roles, finding that motivational, emotional, career-related, mental health, workload, and safety-related factors were all of importance.

Research Fellow, Dr Rahimi said that systemic changes would make teaching a more manageable profession.

“To address teacher retention effectively, we must recognise that it is closely connected to the demands and opportunities teachers face at three key levels – within the profession, in their schools, and as individuals,” he said.

“This means examining how the pressures and challenges teachers experience daily, the levels of respect and recognition they receive, and the support they are given in their work are shaped by policies and decisions at both the school and systemic levels.

“What needs to change is a shift toward more comprehensive, teacher-centred policies, especially at the policy and system level, that recognise teaching as complex emotional, and intellectual work.

“These changes need to make teaching more manageable and focused, improve the status of teachers in society and their communities and foster a supportive and respectful school environment.”

Listen to Ben Arnold’s interview on Life Matters