Kindergarten Teachers' Work-Family/Family-Work Conflict and Turnover Intention: Mediation of Work Engagement and Moderation of Career Calling

Abstract

High turnover among early childhood teachers (ECTs) affects children's quality of care and development at a vital stage. Our study explored the antecedents of ECTs' turnover intention and the buffers against it. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, we proposed that work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC) increase ECTs' turnover intention by undermining their work engagement. We further posited that ECTs' career calling can buffer the deleterious effects of WFC and FWC on work engagement. To test these hypotheses, we surveyed 321 South Korean kindergarten teachers and analyzed the proposed mediating and moderating effects. We found that kindergarten teachers' work engagement significantly mediated the relationship between FWC and turnover intention but observed no mediating effect on WFC. Furthermore, career calling moderated the relationship between work engagement and WFC, but not FWC. Policymakers should note the differential roles of WFC and FWC in ECTs' work engagement and turnover intention. Furthermore, they should recruit teachers with a strong career calling, as it provides a buffer from WFC and facilitates sustained work engagement among ECTs.