The Impact of Teachers' Trust in Principal on Teacher Burnout

Abstract

This explanatory mixed methods study explored the relationship between teachers’ perceived trust in their principal and teacher burnout. This study also explores novice teachers’ lived experience of trust in their principal and stress. Snowball sampling through a public Facebook post was used to gather participants during the 2019-2020 school year for an online survey. The survey was conducted using the Faculty Trust in Principal subscale of the Omnibus-T Scale and Maslach’s Burnout Inventory for Educators to survey 165 Ontario teachers. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with three novice teachers within the first 5 years of their careers to outline their lived experiences and identify traits of principals that indicate trustworthiness. Results identified a negative correlation between trust in principal and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, as well as a positive correlation between trust in principal and sense of personal accomplishment. Results also indicated a connection between increased faculty trust in principal when they had a shorter working relationship. The novice teachers interviewed perceive that principals can develop their trust through the individual consideration and idealized influence components of transformational leadership. Participants also identified principals reducing their workloads and trusting them as important components for trust development. Novice Ontario teachers identified stress due to high expectations, precarious employment, and the pressure to build a positive reputation as influencers in trust development.