Measuring Job Satisfaction of Indonesian Secondary School English Language Teachers Before and During the Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

A mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was conducted in Indonesia to measure levels of job satisfaction among 326 secondary school English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teachers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to identify significant differences in relation to gender, career stage, school location, school status, and school affiliation, and to establish which factors contributed most to job satisfaction. In the quantitative stage, the results revealed that job satisfaction both before and during the pandemic was generally high. With respect to gender, male teachers were more satisfied than their female counterparts. In terms of career stage, levels of job satisfaction varied before and during the pandemic, with significant differences in terms of pay, promotion, security, and professional development. Teachers working in state schools were more satisfied with their pay and security than teachers in private schools. Furthermore, teachers working in schools under the Ministry of Education were more satisfied with pay and security than those working under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. No significant differences in job satisfaction were identified with respect to school location. The qualitative stage partially supported the quantitative findings, with working conditions, col-leagues, professional development, and pay identified as enhancing job satisfaction.