School Leadership and Teacher Retention: Principals' Experiences in Managing High Teacher Turnover

Abstract

Leadership in educational settings plays a major role in impacting teacher productivity and organizational culture. The concern regarding teacher turnover has increased throughout international institutions of learning, especially within schools dealing with challenging situations. This study aims to explore the leadership approaches and lived experiences of private school principals to overcome the high teacher turnover rates. Ten principals of private schools in Sialkot were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded with the consent of the participants and lasted 30-40 minutes. The data were analyzed through the reflexive thematic analysis. Results show different aspects that influence teachers' turnover rate, including workload, inadequate compensation, residence issues, getting married, financial constraints, and strict management. The principals overcome the teachers' turnover rate by adopting the best and most effective leadership behaviors. These behaviors include value-based leadership, supportive leadership, and different approaches for retaining teachers.