Introduction
The rate of turnover in the organizational context is an indicator of the performance of management in these organizations. Employees enjoy working in an environment that is friendly and supportive. The high teacher turnover rate in the United States has become an extreme menace. The future of education in the country is threatened if no remedial action is implemented to resolve current issues. It suggests that there are problems that need to be resolved within the education sector of the United States. On that note, this paper seeks to deal with the problem of a high teacher turnover rate from an organizational perspective.
Teacher Shortage Issue From an Organizational Perspective
The low levels of employee (teacher) retention within the United States are similar to the issues that affect organizations. Organizational management should be considerate of the wants and needs of employees. Unfortunately, the plight of teachers is hardly taken seriously by the necessary authorities. For instance, teachers have complained about the deteriorated state of infrastructure in schools, where most schools can hardly access clean air. However, this concern has never been resolved, and it has become a major concern after the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Teachers feel that the parties granted the mandate to oversee their well-being do not care. Like any other type of employee, teachers feel neglected if their voices remain ignored. As a result, teachers feel demoralized and yearn for a better working environment elsewhere.
The current working environment for teachers is deplorable because it fails to treat teachers as professionals, yet they are qualified enough to be treated as so. Teachers have acquired the necessary academic qualifications as people within other professional fields, but in most cases, teachers are paid significantly less amount than they deserve (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Teachers deal with strenuous situations at work because it is difficult to deal with students raised differently and ensure that they perform to the best of their ability. As a result, a significant number of teachers end up diagnosed with stress in the long run, which is because of the pressure that their working environment presents. The low employee retention rate among these teachers is understandable because employees prefer a working environment that shows interest in their well-being.
The current problem within the educational sector of the United States as far as teachers are concerned is poor organizational communication, where the wants and needs of teachers are left unheard. Teachers are also overwhelmed with work, but they are not reimbursed sufficiently for the service they provide.
Perspectives That Explain Why Teachers Leave the Profession
Several perceptions have been raised with efforts to elaborate on reasons for the high level of employee turnover. For instance, the fact that organizations are complicated. It is rather difficult to understand why teachers would request infrastructural improvements or a salary increase, yet no action has been adopted to resolve the current issues. Organizations are also deceptive, and it may be that the educational sector of the US is not any different. As much as teachers in the US are promised a better working environment, no actionable cause has been implemented to achieve this promise. Unfortunately, the blame for the current crisis is directed toward bureaucracy (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The organizational officials that make this claim suggest that it will take time to improve the working environment for teachers because there are stringent organizational rules, regulations, and procedures that guide the process.
Actions Schools Need To Take To Address the Shortage of Teachers
Schools do not have to wait for the government sector in charge of education to improve the working environment for teachers. Therefore, schools can implement programs that promote teachers’ mental health and well-being. Schools can collect information from teachers and agree on the optimal ways to improve the quality of their working environment. Inclusivity is a critical aspect to be assertive about because it will make these teachers feel like valued employees. Schools can also raise funds that will help slightly increase the amount of money their teachers are paid, even if it is a limited amount of money. The bottom line is that schools need to take the initiative and ensure that their teachers feel appreciated for their exemplary contributions.
References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley & Sons.