Working Conditions and Professional Well-Being: Teacher Retention and Performance in Secondary Education

Abstract

The sustainability and attractiveness of the teaching profession has received increased attention in recent years due to labor shortages in public education and the exodus from the teaching profession. The aim of this research was to explore what factors provided by employers secondary school teachers consider most important in terms of job satisfaction, and to what extent these factors influence their performance, their intention to remain in the profession, and their positive communication about their school. Our original plan was to conduct a comparative analysis between Hungary and Slovakia, but unfortunately, we were unable to collect enough responses from the Slovak side. The questionnaire survey was therefore conducted in Hungary from May 2024 to May 2025, using convenience sampling, based on the responses of a total of 157 people. During the research, weighted satisfaction indicators were developed, combining the benefits and conditions that teachers considered important and actually experienced. Using multivariate linear regression analyses, it was found that access to continuous professional development, technical equipment, humane leadership, and professional recognition have a positive and significant impact on teachers' attitudes. These factors predicted performance, loyalty, and a positive image of the school, while the "important but lacking" elements proved insufficient to maintain motivation. The research showed that providing benefits considered important at the level of promises is not enough to retain teachers—their availability and actual satisfaction are at least as important.