INFLUENCE OF BURNOUT ON EMOTIONAL LABOUR AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE MAKURDI METROPOLIS

Abstract

Due to the enormous job demands of a teacher, there is bound to be emotional
labour associated with the work. If properly handled it would impact positively on the lives of
students and lead to better teaching and learning. This study examines the influence of burnout
on emotional labour among Secondary school teachers in the Makurdi metropolis. The cross-
sectional research design was employed for the study. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI,
1983) and Emotional Labour Scales were used. Participants were selected through simple
random sampling technique. The participants were made up of 237 (48.0%) males and
257(52.0%) females. The study has two main objectives, namely, to examine the influence of
burnout on emotional labour among secondary school teachers in Makurdi metropolis and to
explore gender differences in emotional labour among secondary school teachers in Makurdi
metropolis. Multiple linear regression analysis and independent t-test were used to analyse
data. Findings from the results revealed that overall burnout significantly and positively
influenced emotional labour among secondary school teachers in Makurdi metropolis [F
(3,490) =4652.728; P<.01; Finding also revealed that there were no significant gender
differences in emotional labour among secondary school teachers in Makurdi metropolis t (df,
492) =.336; P>.05. The study concluded that burnout is a determinant of emotional labour. The
higher the level of burnout by teachers, the higher the level of emotional labour. Gender
differences were not a predictor of emotional labour among teachers. The study recommended,
amongst others, that the Benue State Government, through the Ministry of Education, should
design policies and programmes such as training on coping strategies and an increase in
motivation that would add value to teachers’ welfare and productivity. More so, more teachers
should be hired to complement the efforts of the existing ones to reduce heavy workloads,
burnout and emotional labour. Training on coping strategies should be carried out to give
teachers the resiliency training they needed to overcome psychological strain and emotional
labour at work. This would increase efficiency and productivity among teachers in the state.