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What Drives Teacher Satisfaction: A Fresh Research-Informed Look

  • Writer: Harry Bloom
    Harry Bloom
  • May 8
  • 2 min read

By Dr. Harry Bloom, Founder and President, Benchmarking for Good, Inc.


Based on Benchmarking for Good’s 2024/2025 staff climate survey research with 23 diverse day schools, we are able to gain insights into the key factors that most strongly correlate with teachers’ job satisfaction. This is vitally important because teachers' willingness to recommend their school as an employer is strongly correlated with their own job satisfaction.


Top Factors Correlating with Teachers’ Job Satisfaction:


Top Factors Correlating with Teachers’ Job Satisfaction:

  1. Satisfaction with the overall work environment including collegiality, supervision quality, support systems, and physical workspace has the highest correlation with overall job satisfaction.

  2. Satisfaction with career Growth Opportunities has the second highest correlation value with job satisfaction.

  3. School flexibility in enabling work/life balance is the third most important correlating factor. 

  4. Teachers’ perception they can openly communicate and express ideas, concerns, and suggestions freely is the fourth key factor correlating with job satisfaction. 

  5. Supervisor Appreciation - Feeling appreciated by one's supervisor rounds out the top 5 factors.


Teacher Satisfaction by Experience Level:

A notable finding is how job satisfaction relates to years of experience:


  • Most experienced teachers (15+ years) report significantly higher satisfaction (4.55/5.00)

  • There appears to be a notable "satisfaction dip" around the 4-5 year mark (4.15/5.00) and continuing through the 6-10 year mark

  • First-year teachers show relatively high satisfaction (4.30/5.00)


Other Interesting Findings:

  • Employment Status: Part-time teachers report slightly higher satisfaction (4.33) than full-time teachers (4.27)

  • Division/Department: Upper School teachers have the highest satisfaction (4.33), while Early Childhood teachers have the lowest (4.12)

  • Overall Average: Teachers as a role have an average satisfaction of 4.28/5.00


Practical Implications:

  1. The strong correlation between willingness to recommend the school and personal satisfaction suggests that teacher advocacy is both an indicator and driver of satisfaction

  2. Investing in work environment quality (collegiality, supervision, support systems) would likely yield significant improvements in teacher satisfaction

  3. Career growth opportunities appear more important for teachers than for some other roles, suggesting that clear advancement pathways could boost satisfaction

  4. Programs targeting mid-career teachers (4-10 years experience) might help address the apparent satisfaction dip at this career stage and help avoid attrition

  5. Work/life balance initiatives could have a substantial impact on improving teacher satisfaction


ACTION STEPS: Explore Becoming a Benchmarking for Good Research Partner and Grant Recipient

  1. To discuss how your school can benefit from Benchmarking for Good staff climate research and gain access to the information it needs to become an employer of choice please contact Dr. Harry Bloom at harrybloom@benchmarkingforgood.org

  2. Interested school leaders are also encouraged to complete a 2025-6 Benchmarking for Good Research Grant Interest Survey by    clicking on this link


 
 
 

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