Workload, perceived stress, and coping strategies among headteachers in Assin Foso Municipality

Abstract

It has become academically imperative to investigate how workload relates to headteachers job stress and how job stress relates to burnout among headteachers. The negative consequences of job stress on the work of headteachers call for research on the job and burnout linkage in order to increase our understanding on how to mitigate this problem among headteachers. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship of workload and perceived stress among basic school headteachers in the Assin Foso Municipality. It also examined coping strategies employed by both male and female headteachers to manage the negative effects of stress they might experience. There were fifty-three headteachers working in the public basic schools of Assin Foso Municipality and all constituted the population of the study. They were 41 male respondents which constituted 77.4% and 12 females constituted 22.6% of the sample. To achieve the purpose of the study, five specific objectives with corresponding research questions were posed, and two hypotheses postulated. The researcher employed a dual mode paradigm, thus, quantitative and qualitative paradigms which required the researcher to collect both quantitative and qualitative data and analyse them using a sequential explanatory multi- method design. The instruments for the study were questionnaire and interview guide for the focus group. Through correlational research, the researcher easily determined the statistical relationship between the variables, thus; workload, job stress and coping strategies of headteachers or behavioural trend with regards to the variables under consideration. It also helped the researcher to investigate how workload relates to headteachers job stress and how job stress relates to burnout among headteachers in Assin Foso Municipality. With regard to Headteachers Workload, the findings revealed that both male and female basic school heads were occupationally stressed with respect to workload, thus, admission of students, monitoring and setting of examination questions, teachers and students’ disciplinary issues, vetting of teachers’ lessons notes, administrative responsibilities constituting high level workload and they were perceived stressors. Regarding coping strategies, it became evident that participating in religious activities, watching movies/TV, getting adequate sleep, effective time management among others help. Studying stress and workload among school heads has implications for improving understanding of job-stress and its related effect on the working life of headteachers. We need to appreciate the environmental and personal factors that promote stress and early manifestation of stress. This knowledge helps to map out coping strategies and proactive prevention. The study recommends that: the Assin Foso municipal education office should implement the policy of detaching or exempting headteachers from teaching alongside their administrative work and other duties that interfere with their responsibilities as school managers; the guidance and counselling service departments at the municipal education offices should organise seminars and workshops on stress reduction and coping strategies for the headteachers on their day to day duties.