The Effects of Job Demands, Job Resources, and Self-Efficacy on the Telecommuting Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

page 34-50

Dana Marie Ashley A. Castillo  

Master of Science in Management

University of Asia and the Pacific

Keywords:  Job demands, Job resources, Self-efficacy, Job satisfaction, Telecommuting

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to work practices, particularly the mandatory work-from-home (WFH) arrangement, whose implications on working conditions, worker well-being, work attitudes, and their relationships need investigation. Thus, drawing from the Job Demands-Resources Model, this study determined the effects of job demands, job resources, and self-efficacy on the telecommuting job satisfaction of public-school teachers in Metro Manila, as mediated by emotional exhaustion and work engagement. The samples (n = 315) were gathered through non-probability sampling methods. Descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modeling were used to analyze the quantitative data from a survey questionnaire. Focus group discussions/interviews were also conducted to substantiate this analysis further. Results showed that job resources and self-efficacy both had positive direct effects on telecommuting job satisfaction as well as indirect effects through work engagement. Interestingly, the findings showed that job demands had no direct effect on telecommuting job satisfaction, nor an indirect effect through emotional exhaustion, which was likewise found not to affect job satisfaction. Furthermore, job resources and self-efficacy failed to moderate the adverse effect of job demands on emotional exhaustion. Overall, it can be seen that in the context of the WFH setting during the COVID-19 pandemic, the job satisfaction of public-school teachers can be improved directly by increasing job resources like social support and personnel resources, and more importantly, self-efficacy or, indirectly through heightened work engagement. Thus, recommendations to public school management, the Department of Education, and future researchers were provided.