School climate and teachers' organisational commitment in South African high schools

Abstract

Previous research on teachers’ organisational commitment reveals that investigations into this subject have yet to focus on school climate and on what undermines or strengthens high school teachers’ commitment. It is necessary to understand the specific school climate dimensional factors that are positively associated with high school teachers' organisational commitment. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore teachers’ experiences of school climate and their commitment to teaching as a profession. A phenomenological research design was adopted using a qualitative research approach. A non-random purposive and convenient sampling technique was employed to identify 30 high school teachers within the age bracket of 30 to 40. Data was collected using semi-structured individual interviews, which were also audio-recorded. Following the recordings, the interviews were transcribed. The data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings of this study indicated that collegial leadership styles, teachers’ self-identity, organisational culture, and perceived job security are the school climate dimensional factors that predict organisational commitment among South African high school teachers. This implies that teachers' levels of organisational commitment are significantly shaped by their work environment. Therefore, the goal of educational institutions should be to establish a cooperative, respectful, and encouraging work atmosphere that values teachers' contributions in order to enhance organisational commitment.