IMPACT OF LONG WORKING HOURS ON TEACHERS’ WELL-BEING

TOPIC IS SUITABLE FOR:
1-Department of Education
2-Department of Educational Management
3-Department of Guidance and Counselling
4-Department of Educational Psychology

TOPIC: IMPACT OF LONG WORKING HOURS ON TEACHERS’ WELL-BEING

TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Hypotheses
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Conceptual Review
2.3 Theoretical Framework
2.4 Empirical Review
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY    
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size
3.4 Sampling Technique
3.5  Instrument for Data Collection
3.6 Validity of the Instrument
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument
3.8 Method Of Data Collection 
3.9 Method of Data Analysis
3.10 Ethical Consideration
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Response Rate 
4.2 Analysis of the Relationship between Long Working Hours and the Physical Health of Teachers in Awka
4.3 Analysis of the Impact of Extended Working Hours on the Mental Health and Stress Levels of Teachers
4.4 Analysis of the Impact of Prolonged Working Hours on Teachers’ Social and Family Life
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Limitations of the Study
5.5 Recommendations
5.6 Suggestions for Further Studies
References
Appendix

ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to examine the impact of long working hours on teachers’ well-being using public senior secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria as a case study. The study was specifically carried out to examine the relationship between long working hours and the physical health of teachers, assess the impact of extended working hours on the mental health and stress levels of teachers, investigate the impact of prolonged working hours on teachers’ social and family life, and investigate the impact of prolonged working hours on teachers’ job satisfaction. The study employed the descriptive survey research design. Hence, the questionnaire was used for data collection, while the data collected were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviations, and frequencies. The hypotheses test was conducted using ANOVA statistical tool. The population of the study comprised all teachers employed in public senior secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria, totaling 9,482 teachers. A total of 384 respondents were selected as sample size using multi-stage sampling technique, consisting of stratified and convenience sampling. The participants consisted of both male and female teachers actively involved in classroom teaching during the 2024–2025 academic session. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings reveal that long working hours have a significant impact on teachers’ physical health at F = 5.12, P = 0.007, mental health and stress levels at F = 4.78, P = 0.010, social and family life at F = 4.23, P = 0.015, and job satisfaction at F = 4.95, P = 0.009. The study therefore recommends that educational authorities should regulate teachers’ workload and limit excessive working hours, school management should introduce structured breaks and flexible schedules to reduce stress, teachers should be provided with professional development programs and counseling services, and government and school administrators should design incentive schemes that recognize teachers’ efforts while ensuring job satisfaction and commitment to professional duties.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION (Preview)
1.1 Background of the Study
Work, as an organized human activity, has been historically a key to personal fulfillment, social contribution and economic participation. In societies, jobs influence identity, time management and social interaction and well-being patterns. Within organizational contexts, the nature of work i.e. its demands, length of and expectations for work are often determining how people experience balance between the professional and private domain. Scholars in work and organisational studies have underlined that jobs with a primary focus on a human service require a high degree of ongoing emotional, cognitive and physical commitment that distinguishes them from a purely technical job (Bazillai, 2021). In the educational sector, this service-oriented nature is augmented by responsibility for the learning and values transmission and social development. As explained by Rwigema (2022) teaching profession is at a strategic position in the advancement of the society because it is a direct mediator of knowledge and human capital development. Consequently, the conception of teaching is generally accepted as not only a job but a vocation which is the one forming the society, professional self, and long-term social development, and the result is the central position of teachers.
Building upon this occupational background, well-being of teachers has become a multidimensional construct reflecting physical, psychological and social states which allow teachers to function effectively and sustainably. Well-being among teachers denotes the extent to which work conditions are consistent with personal needs, values and expectations over time. Ortan et al. (2021) theorize that teachers well-being has been highly related to self-efficacy, job satisfaction which may indicate positive internal states reflects high level of professional engagement and resilience. Equally, Nwoko et al. (2023) conceptualise the occupational well-being of teachers as a dynamic relationship between work demands and other available resources rather than a personal characteristic. This perspective emphasises the fact that well-being is determined by everyday professional experiences, routines and institutional arrangements. Carrying this view one step further, Wahab et al. (2024) have pointed out that the well-being of teachers is an indicator for the health of the educational system as a whole. Thus it follows that an understanding of the well-being of teachers provides a necessary lens for analyzing the translation of the conditions of life as a profession into sustained effectiveness and personal fulfillment as an educator.
Flowing logically from the notion of well-being is the role of time investment, especially long working hours in the shaping of teacher's general well-being. Working hours are one of the structural aspects of organizing in employment, recovery and role balance. There is research across sectors pointing to the fact that long working hours affect health-related outcomes by affecting the pattern of rest and accumulating exposure to workload (Chu, 2021). In the educational sphere according to Hashino (2024), long working hours among teachers are connected with the change in energy level, emotional control and the general satisfaction in life. Complementing this, Kreuzfeld et al. (2022) brings to the fore that the critical risk factor for mental health in teachers working time is when this is perpetuated beyond limits of adaptation. These understandings suggest that long working hours are not inexorably quantitative understandings in terms of time units but qualitative ones in terms of how teachers feel about their professional lives. Consequently, the research on the impact of working hours provides a logical connection between the general concept of well-being and the particular features of teaching work.
Closely linked with this dimension of time, is the interface between the working hours of teachers and their social and family life. Teaching is often not limited to the hours of the classroom experience, but may include the preparation of lessons, assessment of learning and communication after hours, and so it impacts the rhythm of social life and family interaction. Lizana and Vega-Fernadez (2021) suggest that longer working hours have implications regarding work-family balance by reallocating time away from non-work roles, which has implications on overall quality of life. In the same light, Ifelunni et al. (2022), underscore the interlinkage between the well-being of teachers and the ability of teachers to cope with family obligations alongside professional obligations. These views accent the fact that social and family life are the integrated part of well-soon being instead of outside domains. As hours are lengthened, the boundaries between work and life become increasingly blurred to add to the incentive to think about the experience of teachers in a holistic way. This relational understanding lends itself to an obvious consideration of the determining role that the sustained patterns of work has in the manner in which the teachers perceive their jobs.
At this point, the issue of job satisfaction is focused as an outcome strongly associated with well-being, working hours, balance between social life, and especially in particular educational contexts. Job satisfaction is described as the evaluative judgement of teachers concerning the role of their working conditions and rewards over time. Working conditions, says Ekwevugbe and Efetobor (2025), continue to remain a central correlate of job satisfaction by teachers of Nigerian schools and this has influenced their attitude toward the profession. In supporting this, the researchers Adelokun et al. (2025) explain that teacher attitude to work is influenced by the way the professional demands are related to the personal expectations. Narrowing down to Awka which is an urban educational centre, located in Anambra State, these dynamics are found to be particularly relevant in the light of the concentration of public and private secondary schools. Understanding the intersection of the long working hours and well-being and satisfaction in case of teachers in Awka presents a localisation through which a broader theoretical understanding can be examined in a meaningful manner.

1.2 Statement of the Problem
Teaching as a profession is increasingly taking on extended working hours that extend beyond working in the classroom to lesson preparation, assessment, administrative responsibilities, and constant digital interaction. Empirical studies suggest that long working hours are significantly linked to reductions in physical health, increases in stress responses and declining mental health of teachers (Chu, 2021; Kreuzfeld et al., 2022). In Nigeria, recent evidence of the psychological impacts of extended workload and time pressure among teachers further demonstrates the association between them and psychological strain, decreased engagement in work, and changes in work behaviours (Akinbode, 2025; Oderinde et al., 2024). The current situation therefore represents a pattern where teachers regularly exceed standard working time thresholds with observable consequences on health, social functioning and job satisfaction (Hashino, 2024; Wahab et al., 2024). Ideally, the working hours of teachers should be compatible with working conditions that lead to physical vitality, psychological stability, balanced social lives, and sustained job satisfaction which will be conducive to optimal professional performance and personal wellbeing.
However, there is a critical gap regarding context-specific empirical knowledge on the nature of the association between long working hours and teachers' well-being in multiple dimensions in specific urban settings in Nigeria. While some studies have been carried out on workload, stress, and well-being among teachers nationally and internationally, many of them have been focused on single outcomes such as burnout or job satisfaction or carried out outside the South-East Nigerian context (Jerrim, & Sims, 2021; Nwoko, et al., 2023). Limited empirical attention has been paid to Awka in which growing educational demands may uniquely organize teachers' working hours and lives. Moreover, the relationship between long working hours, physical health, mental health, social and family life, and job satisfaction have not been adequately integrated under one analytical framework (Ekwevugbe & Efetobor, 2025; Lizana & Vega-Fernadez, 2021). This study therefore intends to fill this gap by systematically examining the effect of long working hours in teaching profession on the well-being of teachers in Awka and provide evidence that can help explain the existing ambiguities and make informed decisions on more balanced work-time arrangements in teaching profession.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to examine the impact of long working hours on teachers’ well-being in Awka. Specifically, the study seeks: 
i.To examine the relationship between long working hours and the physical health of teachers in Awka.
ii.To assess the impact of extended working hours on the mental health and stress levels of teachers.
iii.To investigate the impact of prolonged working hours on teachers’ social and family life.
iv.To investigate the impact of prolonged working hours on teachers’ job satisfaction.
OTHER PARTS OF CHAPTER ONE INCLUDE:
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypotheses
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Definition of Key Terms

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW (Preview)
This chapter critically examines relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and, furthermore, recognizes the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps. This chapter, therefore, focuses on the concept of working hours, the concept of teachers’ well-being, causes of long working hours among teachers, the effects of long working hours on teachers’ physical and mental health, work-related stress and burnout, work-life balance, and factors influencing teachers’ well-being. The chapter covers the following subheadings:
2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review
2.4 Summary of Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY (Preview)
Research Design: The study adopted a descriptive research design.
Population of the Study: The population of the study comprises teachers employed in public senior secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria, during the 2024/2025 academic session.
Sample Size Determination: The study adopted the Taro Yamane formula to determine a sample size of 384 participants.
Sampling Technique: The study employed a multi-stage sampling technique, involving stratified and convenience sampling, to select the respondents.
Research Instrument: The study utilized a structured questionnaire titled “Impact of Long Working Hours on Teachers’ Well-Being” as the instrument for data collection.
Methods of Data Analysis: The collected data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations to summarize and present the demographic characteristics of the respondents and their responses. Inferential statistics, such as ANOVA, were used to test the hypotheses.

CHAPTER FOUR; DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
MAJOR FINDINGS (Preview)
The analysis results were presented in tables. Based on the results obtained from the analysis, the following findings are made:

i. The study found that long working hours have a significant negative effect on the physical health of teachers, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.0 to 3.4, indicating moderate agreement that prolonged working hours contribute to fatigue, headaches, sleep disturbances, body pains, and physical discomfort. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed an F-value of 5.12 and a p-value of 0.007 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

ii. The study found that extended working hours significantly affect teachers’ mental health and stress levels, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.1 to 3.4, indicating that long working hours increase stress, anxiety, irritability, and concentration difficulties while reducing motivation and mental well-being. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed an F-value of 4.78 and a p-value of 0.010 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

iii. The study found that prolonged working hours significantly affect teachers’ social and family life, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.0 to 3.2, indicating that extended working hours reduce time spent with family, limit social interactions, reduce participation in social events, and contribute to family conflicts. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed an F-value of 4.23 and a p-value of 0.015 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

iv. The study found that prolonged working hours significantly reduce teachers’ job satisfaction, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.1 to 3.3, indicating that long working hours contribute to reduced motivation, increased burnout, decreased enthusiasm for teaching, reduced professional commitment, and dissatisfaction with work-life balance. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed an F-value of 4.95 and a p-value of 0.009 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

CHAPTER FIVE:SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter covers the following outline:
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary 
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Limitations of the Study
5.5 Recommendations
5.6 Suggestions for Further Studies

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