School Leadership, Team Effectiveness, and School Culture: A Structural Equation Model on Job Performance among Public Elementary School Teachers

School Leadership, Team Effectiveness, and School Culture: A Structural Equation Model on Job Performance among Public Elementary School Teachers

Ana Lyn S. Nanol¹, Celso L. Tagadiad²

¹Department of Education, Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Philippines

²UM Panabo College, Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Philippines

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010147

Received: 05 January 2025; Accepted: 09 January 2025; Published: 07 February 2025

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine the best-fit model for the job performance of public elementary school teachers in Region XI based on school leadership, team effectiveness, and school culture. Four hundred respondents were chosen for this study using a stratified sample technique and a causal study design. The electronic survey facility, through Google Forms, collected data using standardized, adapted-modified questionnaires. The statistical methods used in the study included the mean, standard deviation, regression analysis, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and structural equation model. Results revealed a very high level in the following: school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance. Additionally, there was a substantial correlation between the independent and dependent variables. Also, school leadership, team effectiveness, and school culture influence the job performance of public elementary school teachers. Lastly, among the two generated models, Model 2 is the best-fit model for teachers’ job performance in terms of planning, development, and results with school leadership, team effectiveness, and school culture. These results imply that intensifying school leadership style may lead to an ideal school culture that can always be manifested, which would also strengthen team effectiveness and job performance to the highest level.

Keywords: educational management, school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, job performance, structural equation model, Philippines

SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

INTRODUCTION

Education, like any industry, requires optimal job-performance from the individuals in the organization to perform its functions. Likewise, as with all humans, teachers too are affected by extrinsic factors that affect their job performance, and when this performance is lowered it tends to have a similar effect on their peers that work with them (Wardiansyah, Indrawati, Kurniawati, 2024). Consequently, when such effects chain off of each other, the perceptions of the individuals in these types of working environments tend to affect not just their performance but also their motivation, innovation, and creativity.

The topic of job performance is not something new in any industry, and this holds for the industry of education. Institutional environment, organizational cultures, and innovative behavior as concepts in relation to job performance have had significant inroads made by many researchers (Bildag, Pilli, 2024; Kumari, Kumar, 2023; Memduhoğlu, Dağ, 2024). While findings and conclusions from these studies vary according to their focus and limitations, the one thing that they all agree upon is the decidedly significant long-term effects of low job performance and the various variables that affect performance in a statistically significant manner.

School Leadership is a broad term referring to the various individuals of authority that act in the role of establishing and maintaining a working educational organization. Considering this role, it can be seen how much impact they have on the performance of the individuals working in that organization as they dictate both the environment and the processes that occur during that environment. Research done by Ngabiyanto, Nurkhin, Mukhibad, Iwan, and Pramono (2023) further highlight this by showing in their own findings that the direct intervention of authority figures can significantly impact not just the job performance of teachers, but also dictate the local school climate.

On the other hand, Team Effectiveness can be defined as the interlinked dynamic between professional individuals within a workspace. In terms of the job performance of teachers, this may extend not just to their colleagues, but also to their superiors, and the auxiliary staff that man the miscellaneous tasks around the institution. This isn’t simply a matter of delegating a task to the most efficient worker, but something that should consider the various cultural, religious, and personal dynamics between individual – which was found by Gould-Yakovleva, and Liu (2024) during their own inquiry into cultural and racial biases in the workplace.

Lastly, school culture as a localized phenomenon is a form of societal climate that is in parts maintained and established by the administrative body of an educational institution. It is also largely dependent on the attitude of not just the staff, but also the students as well as third parties such as parents, guardians, and even government officials both local and national. As such, it can clearly be expected to fluctuate according to the expectations of these individuals. Prior research done by Careemdeen (2024) shows the significance of this influence in their paper which clearly shows that outside influences on school culture can dictate the proceedings inside an institution and the mood of all who work within it.

Several studies found existing literatures on the association between school leadership and job performance (Clipa & Honciuc, 2020), team effectiveness and job performance (Ismael, 2023), and so with school culture and job performance (Nkwatsibwe & Balimuttajjo, 2024). But those studies dealt only with bivariate relationships and did not cover the three variables in a single study. These incited to conduct this study which will deal with the three independent variables with one variable as the moderating construct, making this study a contribution to new knowledge.

This study aimed to determine a structural equation model on job performance of teachers in Region XI. This study dealt with the following objectives: First, to find out the level of school leadership in terms of administrative skill, interpersonal skill, and conceptual skill. Second, to assess the level of team effectiveness in terms of purpose and goal, roles, team processes, team relationships, intergroup relations, problem solving, passion and commitment, and skill and learning.  Third, to determine the level of school culture in terms of professional collaboration, affiliative collegiality, and self-determination/efficacy.

Fourth, to evaluate the level of job performance in terms of planning, development, and result. Fifth, to determine the significant relationships between school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance of teachers. Sixth, to determine which independent variable best influences the job performance of teachers. Seventh, to determine the best fit model for the job performance of teachers.

Additionally, the following hypotheses will be tested at a 0.05 level of significance: First, there is no significant relationship between school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance of teachers. Second, there is no best fit model for the job performance of teachers.

This study is anchored on Harrison’s (2007) Enjoyment-Performance Theory, a theory that states that performance increases directly proportional to the enjoyment one derives from their work. This covers a large part of this study’s coverage considering much of the variables involved in the study pertain to aspects of a teacher’s working environment that directly influence their mood. Harrison’s theory also expounds on the importance of taking the individual preferences of each employee into consideration when creating or adjusting already existing policies within an organization, which lends itself well to providing a definitive and reliable conclusion to this study.

Additionally, Harrison’s theory will be supplemented by Biloa’s (2023) Transformational Theory, a theory that highlights the role of an effective leader by showing the interconnectivity of their interventions to their subordinates’ performance. The transformational theory emphasizes that leaders should provide a form of guidance where everyone of relevance should know and understand the meaning behind every action and demand made of them so as to onboard them in the process of maintaining the interests of the organization, which ties in very well to how school leadership is able to significantly affect the job performance of teachers within the limitations of this study.

Likewise, to interlink team effectiveness with teachers’ job performance, the study will be turning to the GRPI (Goals, Rules and Responsibilities, Processes and Procedure, and Interactions/interpersonal Relationships) Model of Team Effectiveness by Beckhard (1972). This model emphasizes on the direct proportionality of performance to several key metrics of descending importance, namely setting goals, assigning roles, establishing a process, and encouraging positive interpersonal relationships among peers. Their model shows that once a goal has been set and everyone made aware of its importance, being able to assign the right man for the job is the next step. Afterwards, figuring out a process or path towards this goal and ensuring that every member of the team is working in harmony will lead to the most efficient method of attaining that goal, which reflects how the study aligns the relationship between team effectiveness and job performance among teachers.

Lastly, in relating school culture to the job performance of teachers, Herzberg’s (1959) Two-Factor Theory will be used as the foundation. This theory expands on possible factors that influence employee productivity, what it calls its two factors: Motivation and Hygiene. Motivation describes all extrinsic stimuli such as achievement, recognition, and advancement – all aspects of school culture tied to workplace satisfaction – while Hygiene, despite the term, refers to qualities present in the working environment that aren’t tied to workplace satisfaction such as pay-grade, organizational policy, and peer relationships. One dictate increasing job performance, while the other prevents a decrease in job performance, which is fitting for the correlation of these two variables.

Figure 1 shows the linking of school leadership, team effectiveness, and school culture with job performance. The arrows represent the causal or direct relationship between variables and indicators.

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Legend:

The variables used by the study in correlation to teacher job performance include school leadership, team effectiveness and school culture, and they are defined in detail as follows. School Leadership is the accumulated qualities, skills, and personal traits of an individual – in this case the administrative authority in the form of the principal – that leverages significant influence on the operations of the organization under them as well as all employees and subordinates they oversee Its effects on job performance can be assumed to be intuitive, and is represented by the following:

First is administrative skill, representing the overall management skills of the individual to decide on cost effective, efficient decisions that take the interests of multiple parties into account to produce the best results. Next, interpersonal skill, the individual’s communication gradient or charisma in how they influence, guide, or otherwise manipulate other individuals to again produce the best results in the context of the organization’s interests. Then there’s conceptual skill, which represents the individual’s critical thinking, adaptability, and flexibility in planning, intervention, and reactionary measures over the course of their duties and obligations (Northouse, P. G. 2020).

The next variable is Team Effectiveness, a term which represents the overall atmosphere of harmonious cooperation within any given organization. In the context of this study, this represents the dynamic interpersonal, and interlinked relationships of every individual within the organization, be they teachers, administrators, or miscellaneous staff. This variable is represented by the following indicators: purpose and goals, which is defined as the clear standard for what needs to be accomplished and can be divided into short and long-term. Roles, which are the pre-defined niches within the workflow into which each employee is ideally slotted into where they function best.

Next are the team processes, the overall methodology that are set down to ensure that each team member is contributing to the best of their skill set and producing synergistic results. Intergroup relations, which relate to a more personal dynamic between differing personalities in the workplace. Problem solving, which can be defined as the collective ability of the group to engage in and resolve issues as they crop up. Passion and commitment, which affects the personal motivations of each individual to represent the organization’s interests. Lastly, skills and learning, which indicates how much each individual is able to grow as both a professional and an individual in the environment they work in (Mulder, P. 2019).

School Culture as a variable for correlating job performance is a matter of the environment affecting the individual. In the context of the study this will include many aspects from the professional environment of an individual which is influenced both by their peers and their superiors in addition to the localized school environment itself. It shares several facets with team effectiveness in that interpersonal dynamics significantly influences it, but at the same time is more dependent on individual preferences and prerogatives than outside or third-party influence.  Indicators of school culture are as follows:

Professional collaboration, which is defined as the intrinsic pressure to involve oneself in the decision making within the organization, to make one’s voice heard and their opinions matter during the course of organization affecting discourse.

Next is affiliative collegiality, which can be defined as a sense of belonging fostered by the individuals within the organization as well as maintained by them in order to promote a cohesive working unit of professionals. Lastly, self-determination or efficacy which represents a sense of investment within an organization, where one actively tries or looks for ways to improve their working conditions instead of seeking alternatives elsewhere (Wagner, C. R. 2006).

The dependent variable, job performance, is a broad term encompassing all career tasks, duties, and obligations inherent to one’s profession that are affected by the three variables listed prior. In the context of the study, it will refer to the qualities that allow a professional to do their tasks both efficiently and effectively, relating to their organizational skill, career skills, as well as their adaptability, critical thinking in the face of the unexpected. In this study, job performance indicators will be as follows: Planning, development, and result.

Planning refers to the professionals’ adaptability and mastery of their given course or subject, being able to masterfully and accurately represent it while giving the relevant information and even interweaving it into relevant points within other courses. Development on the other hand relates to the application and presentation of one’s mastery, the logical next step from planning. Good developmental skills allow for ease of access for the teacher’s students in their lectures, and the ability to provide clear and logical frameworks to highlight key aspects of a course. Lastly, the Result allows for a professional to provide valuable and relevant feedback in response to the efforts of students, fostering a spirit of research and critical thinking among them while deepening their understanding of the subject matter (Moreno-Murcia, J. A., Silveira Torregrosa, Y., & Belando Pedreño, N. 2015).

The study’s findings will be valuable information that will give a new perspective on school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and teachers’ job performance. The findings will also contribute empirically to the present literature about theories on job performance by public elementary school teachers. Undoubtedly, teachers play the most essential role in enhancing schools’ academic and social success. Therefore, revealing how these institutional factors affect their job performance is crucial in improving school success. The results of this study can characterize an environment for enhancing teachers’ job performance, enabling them to exhibit innovative behaviors by setting light on how school environment dimensions related to institutional characteristics are structured.

Thus, this study is beneficial to the Education Department (DepEd) and some educational institutions in that they can use the results of the study as the basis for the formulation of guidelines, policies, and programs that would address the problem of the task performance of schools. Likewise, it could help the management promote and nurture educational reforms that would uplift the plight of the school’s stakeholders. Moreover, the study will be beneficial for teachers and school heads in evaluating the level of school leadership, team effectiveness, and school culture and its effects on teachers’ job performance. Further, it will help them formulate schemes that would impact the clientele and the whole school organization more and establish advisory programs to achieve more excellent teacher job performance.

METHOD

Research Respondents

The respondents of the study are 400 elementary teachers at the public elementary schools in Region XI, Philippines. They were chosen from a total of 25,808 who are eligible candidates for the School Year 2022-2023 from the 11 school divisions listed as follows: Davao City (111), Davao de Oro (63), Davao del Norte (40), Davao del Sur (41), Davao Occidental (33), Davao Oriental (43), Digos City (14), Island Garden City of Samal (10), Mati City (13), Panabo City (14), and Tagum City (18).

Every participant was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. This method separates the sample into groups based on shared characteristics—teachers currently teaching in public elementary schools in the Davao Region, Philippines. Stratified Random sampling accurately reflects the population being studied. It ensures that each subgroup within the population receives proper representation within the sample. Since the researcher controls the subgroups to guarantee that each is represented in the sampling, it also offers better coverage of the population (Thomas, 2023).

Using Cochran’s sample size calculator (Statistics How To, 2024), when the margin of error is 0.05, the confidence level is 0.95, and the population size is 25,808, then the recommended number of respondents is 379. Another sample calculator by calculator.net (2024) determined the same sample size, which is 379. Meanwhile, Slovin’s formula (Bobbit, 2023) determines a sample size 394. Thus, the absolute minimum number of participants needed to carry out the study with reasonable accuracy is 400.

The respondents included all those currently teaching in elementary public schools in Region XI, Philippines. Their position and expertise, which are pertinent to the objectives of the study, led the researcher to conclude that they were the group most suited to participate.   Students, parents, office staff, school heads, and DepEd officials are excluded.

If a participant engages in plagiarism, falsification, or other moral transgressions, or if they have special needs or medical concerns, they may be removed from the research study. If a participant wants to stop participating in the survey, they can do so at any time and are not required to give a reason.

This study was conducted in the Davao Region, designated as Region XI, one of the regions in the Philippines situated in the southern portion of Mindanao. It is circumscribed on the North by the CARAGA region, on the east and south by the Philippine Sea, and on the west by Bukidnon and SOCCSKSARGEN Region. The Davao Region comprises five provinces: Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, and Davao del Norte. Its capital is the City of Davao.

Materials and Instrument

Primary data is used to gather information about the study, which consists of four parts: school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and teacher job performance. The survey questionnaires utilized in the study were meticulously sourced from various related research. The instrument underwent a rigorous restructuring process to make it more applicable to the current local school setting. Five expert validators thoroughly validated the instrument to ensure its contemporary relevance and got an average rating of 4.64, which means it was very good. After validation, the researcher proceeded to pilot testing. The questionnaire was found to be reliable for all study purposes, meeting the standard set for reliability.

The survey questionnaire, a unique and comprehensive tool, encompasses variables related to school leadership, school culture, team effectiveness, and job performance. The four distinct parts of this robust research instrument are the School Leadership Scale, School Culture Scale, Team Effectiveness Scale, and Job Performance Scale, each designed to provide a thorough understanding of the respective areas.

The School Leadership Scale (SLS) was developed by Northouse, P. G. (2020). It consists of 18 items: six for administrative skills, six for interpersonal skills, and six for conceptual skills. During the pilot testing, it obtained a Cronbach alpha of   0.917, representing an excellent reliability rating.

The Team Effectiveness Scale (TES) was developed by Mulder, P. (2019). It consists of 56 items: seven for purpose and goals, seven for roles, seven for team process, seven for team relationships, seven for intergroup relations, seven for problem-solving, seven for passion and commitment, and seven for skills and learning. During the pilot testing, it obtained a Cronbach alpha of   0.934, representing an excellent reliability rating.

The School Culture Scale (SCS) was developed by Wagner, C. R. (2006). It consists of 15 items: five for professional collaboration, five for affiliative collegiality, and five for self-determination/efficacy. It obtained a Cronbach alpha of 0.942 during the pilot testing, representing an excellent reliability rating.

The Job Performance Scale (JPS) was developed by Moreno-Murcia, J. A., Silveira Torregrosa, Y., & Belando Pedreño, N. (2015). It consists of 28 items: six for planning, 15 for development, and seven for results. It obtained a Cronbach alpha of   0.747 during the pilot testing, representing an acceptable reliability rating.

A scale was used to assess the school leadership, school culture, team effectiveness, and job performance. A mean of 4.20 to 5.00 with a very high descriptive level implies that the indicators are always observed. A mean of 3.40 to 4.19 with a high descriptive level imply that the indicators are oftentimes observed. A mean of 2.60 to 3.39 with a moderate descriptive level implies that the indicators are sometimes observed. A mean of 1.80 to 2.59 with a low descriptive level imply that the indicators are seldom observed. A mean of 1.00 to 1.79 with a very low descriptive level implies that the indicators are not observed at all.

Design and Procedure

This study used the quantitative non-experimental research design utilizing descriptive-correlational technique focusing on the present condition of the situation as it existed at the time of the study. The correlational design investigates the association between two or more variables without engaging in their manipulation. This is to measure variables and determine the degree and direction of their association using a correlational analysis (Çobanoğlu, 2023; Jain, 2023).

In addition, a causal research design was employed. It delves into the fundamental connection between the variables (Dovetail Editorial Team, 2023). The relationships between variables using causal information would allow the researcher to produce more meaningful results and research implications.

Several procedures were done in collecting the data to be used in the study. The first procedure was getting consent to administer the study which was secured from the University of Mindanao Ethics Review Committee by submitting all the required documents for data gathering. Next was the reproduction of survey questionnaires. Then the request letters signed by the researcher’s adviser and the current dean of the University of Mindanao Professional Schools (UMPS) were presented and submitted to the DepEd Regional Director.

After getting the approval of the Director is the administration of the survey questionnaires. The informed consent form was attached to the questionnaire where the respondents were required to affix their signatures to ensure that they were willing to participate in the study. The identity of the respondents will not be divulged in any part of the study. Next was the retrieval of questionnaires. After which was the collation, encoding, tabulating, analysis and interpretation of data based on the purpose of the study.

In analyzing the data, the following statistical tools were used: Mean was used to quantify the level of school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance of teachers. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was utilized to expose the interrelationships between the variables. Multiple Regression was employed to reveal the significant predictors of job performance. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to explore the best fit model for the job performance of elementary teachers.  SEM is a model that extends factor analysis and multiple regression analysis and was also used to understand and identify the putative causal associations between latent and observed variables (Hair, Hult, Ringle, Sarstedt, Danks, & Ray, 2021; Science Direct, 2021).

The Goodness-of-Fit test was used to see how closely observed data mirrors expected data.  All the values of the given indices must fall under each criterion: the P-value is greater than 0.05; the value of Chi-Square/Degree of Freedom is greater than 0 but less than 2; the Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) is greater than 0.95; Comparative Fit Index (CFI) is greater than 0.95; Normed Fit Index (NFI) is greater than 0.95; Tucker-Lewis Index is greater than 0.95; the value of Root Mean Square or Error Approximation (RMSEA) is less than 0.05; and the value of P-close is greater than 0.05 (Frost, 2024).

The major ethical considerations/issues that were investigated and ensured by the UMERC were the following: the respect for the autonomy of the participants to be involved in the investigation after fully knowing the purpose of the study, the privacy, and confidentiality of the respondent’s information, and the potential benefits that would elicit favorable results from participants once knowledge about their condition/problems was shared. Other ethical issues such as plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, conflict of interest, and deceit were also raised and addressed. According to the Ethics Review Committee, protocol number UMERC-2020-066, the researcher adhered to stringent ethical guidelines.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents, analyzes, and interprets the data collected from the respondents on school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance of teachers considering the previously mentioned research objectives. The discussions on the mentioned topic are the level of school leadership, team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance; the significance of the relationship between independent and dependent variables; and the best-fit model.

School Leadership

Presented in Table 1 is the level of school leadership which has a weighted mean of 4.18 with standard deviation of 0.697 and a descriptive equivalent of Very High. The mean of indicators ranges from 4.12 to 4.22. The results show that there are two indicators that received the Very High descriptive equivalent, such as: conceptual skill with a mean value of 4.22; and administrative skill with a mean value of 4.21. Meanwhile, the only indicator which received a descriptive equivalent of High is interpersonal skill with a mean value of 4.12.

In appended Table 1.3, regarding conceptual skill, the statement “involving himself/herself in making strategic plans for the school” obtained the highest mean score of 4.33. Moreover, in the appended Table 1.2, regarding interpersonal skills, the statement, “being able to sense the emotional undercurrents in the school” got the lowest mean score of 4.07.

Table 1 School Leadership

The findings of table 1 show a clear expression of school leadership according to the respondents, and the indicators show how this equivalence is distributed, relating to management are much more pronounced than human resource management related ones such as being able to sense emotional undercurrents within their institution. Such findings show that the focus of school leadership among the institutions involved in the study leans more towards administrative tasks, and although the mean among indicators for school leadership remains very high, it highlights the present priorities of administrative bodies within these institutions.

These findings are partially supported by Rodriguez-Gomez, Muñoz-Moreno, and Ion (2024) whose research into the process of forming priorities show that in environments with limited resources, the administrative bodies will oftentimes prioritize aspects of their obligations that have the most immediate and widespread impact across the organization. In this case, the importance of administrative and conceptual aspects of managing a school affect relevant parties far more significantly than constantly assessing for emotional undercurrents, which although is still allocated the appropriate attention, can likely be mitigated or compensated for with other more economical means.

Team Effectiveness

Table 2 presents the weighted means of each criterion of team effectiveness. The overall weighted mean is 4.29, with a standard deviation of 0.574, indicating a Very High level of team effectiveness. The mean of the indicators spans a narrow range, from 4.23 to 4.33, suggesting a consistent performance across the board. Notably, the skills and learning indicator stands out with a mean value of 4.33, while the problem-solving indicator, though the lowest, still maintains a Very High mean of 4.23.

In appended Table 2.7, regarding passion and commitment, the statements “being proud of our team” obtained the highest mean score of 4.43. Moreover, in the appended Table 2.6, regarding problem solving, the statement “spending a very little time complaining about things I cannot control” got the lowest mean score of 4.12.

Table 2 Team Effectiveness

Table 2 represents team effectiveness with an overall weighted mean of 4.29, which classifies it as very high, but contrary to the previous variables, it shows a narrow range of values among indicators which shows that team effectiveness among the respondents is quite consistent, with its indicators showing similar levels of magnitude. However, looking at the values can still show the hierarchy of these indicators when talking about prioritization among team members. As it is clearly shown that skills and learning is particularly valued, which supports Gultom, Hutauruk and Ginting’s research where participants show a clear preference for individual improvement.

Conversely, the appended table 2.6, which shows the lowest mean score of 4.12 for the statement of “spending very little time complaining about things I cannot control” implies that while respondents are able to effectively partition their attention and subsequent stress only to matters which they have direct control over, they still partition the lowest attention to it. This shows a fairly healthy application of team effectiveness, as worrying over the uncontrollable can have detrimental effects on productivity, as shown by Li, T., Liu, M., & Gong, K. (2024) own inquiries into the subject, but also shows that it is the weakest aspect of team effectiveness displayed by respondents.

School Culture

Presented in Table 3 is the level of school culture with an overall weighted mean score of 4.27 and a standard deviation of 0.58, which has a descriptive equivalent of Very High. The results revealed that affiliative collegiality has the highest mean score with a mean value of 4.28, described as Very High. This is followed by self-determination/efficacy with a mean value of 4.27, which is described as Very High, and professional collaboration has the lowest mean score of 4.26, also described as Very High.

In appended Table 3.3, regarding self-determination/efficacy, the statement “working here because I enjoy and chose to be here” obtained the highest mean score of 4.37. Also, in the same table, the statement “predicting and preventing rather than reacting and repairing when something is not working in our school” got the lowest mean score of 4.20.

Table 3 School Culture

Table 3 shows a clear divide in the presentation of school culture among respondents. In this case, the overall weighted mean score is again very high, which implies an overall positive manifestation of school culture. However, looking closely, it is apparent that school culture is emphasized more in affiliative collegiality and self-determination or efficacy, again implying a greater focus on individual significance among individuals contributing to the specific school culture being encouraged within the institution.

Additionally, the statement “working here because I enjoy and chose to be here” obtaining the highest mean score of 4.37 shows a clear expression of free will among participants, which likewise implies a distinct lack of duress within these institutions, while the lowest score going to “predicting and preventing rather than reacting and repairing…” implies a more reactionary culture among respondents. This supports prior research by Findeisen, S., & Seifried, J. (2023) showing a clear preference for unguided workplace culture to be reactionary unless guided by the will of a firm leader who values forward thinking.

Job Performance

As can be gleaned in Table 4, it presents the level of job performance with an overall weighted mean score of 4.28 and a standard deviation of 0.54, which has a descriptive equivalent of Very High. The mean of the indicators ranges from 4.22 to 4.31. The results revealed that the development has the highest mean score with a mean value of 4.31, described as Very High. Moreover, the indicator result has a mean score of 4.30 and is described as very High. On the other hand, the indicator planning has the lowest mean of 4.22, which is still described as Very High.

As can be viewed in appended Table 4.2, regarding development, the statement “promoting teamwork” obtained the highest mean score of 4.47. Also, in the same Table, the statement, “being easily accessible for tutorials, on emails. etc.” got the lowest mean score of 4.12.

Table 4 Job Performance

Table 4 represents job performance with an overall weighted mean score of 4.28 which is rated as very high. This implies that the level of job performance among respondents is rated as such, however, again looking at the indicators shows in detail the priorities of respondents when it comes to expressing their job performance. In this case, development had the highest mean score, indicating its importance to individuals when expressing job performance and the value of their personal improvement. Along with the result having the mean score of 4.30 shows that respondents see their individual job performance as very results based.

Consequently, the lowest indicator, which clocked in at 4.22 was planning, which shows that although still rated very high, planning remains one of the lowest priorities, which mirrors prior findings relating to the reactionary nature of individuals. The statement “promoting teamwork” also got the highest mean score of 4.47, indicating the value of teamwork in the context of evaluating job performance among respondents. This agrees with research done by Adekunle, F. A., Ikegune, D. O., & Ajayi, B. (2022) which highlights the individualistic, yet still dynamic nature of workplace job performance, where each professional prioritizes their personal growth, but also sees value in collaboration and teamwork to ensure efficiency.

Correlation between School Leadership and Job Performance

Table 5 shows the significance of test results on the relationship between levels of school leadership and job performance. As reflected in the hypothesis, the relationship was tested at a 0.05 significance level. The overall r-value of 0.67 with a p-value of less than 0.05 signified the rejection of the null hypothesis. The overall relationship shows a significant correlation between r-value indicators of job performance. It is not just a mere correlation, but a significant one – a relationship that cannot be ignored. The data unequivocally shows a significant relationship between school leadership and job performance, leaving no room for doubt. This finding is a testament to the importance of effective school leadership in driving job performance.

More specifically, the result reveals that all indicators of school leadership are positively correlated with job performance since the p-value is <0.05, and the overall r-value is 0.64 for administrative skill, 0.63 for interpersonal skill, and 0.65 for conceptual skill. As seen in the table, all indicators of each variable are correlated. Hence, data show a positive association between the two variables.

Table 5 Significance of the Relationship between School Leadership and Job Performance

Table 5 shows that the relationship levels between school leadership and job performance exhibited an overall direct correlation between the two. This means that higher levels of quality school leadership will lead to an increase in job performance. Additionally, all indicators were shown to positively influence job performance to varying degrees of significance, which shows that not only does school leadership significantly influence job performance, but it does also so consistently across all indicators that it expresses.

Additionally, the indicators with the most significant effects turn out to be administrative skill, conceptual skill, and interpersonal skill. The former two supports previous findings where administrative authorities prefer to prioritize these two due to their importance and wide range of impact within the organization. However, interpersonal skill, the indicator, which was implied to be least prioritized, still showed one of the highest degrees of positive correlation, which supports the prior study done by Liou and Chen (2024), but also shows the importance of rounding out one’s skills when dealing with matters of leadership.

Correlation between Team Effectiveness and Job Performance

Table 6 presents the significant test results on the relationship between team effectiveness and job performance. The relationship was tested at a 0.05 significance level. The overall result reveals a positive and significant relationship between team effectiveness and job performance since the overall r-value is 0.772 with a p-value of less than 0.05, hence rejecting the null hypothesis. This means there is a significant relationship between team effectiveness and the job performance of elementary school teachers.

More specifically, all of the indicators of team effectiveness correlate positively with job performance, namely purpose and goals (r = 0.715, p < 0.05), roles (r = 0.670, p < 0.05), team processes (r = 0.709, p < 0.05), team relationships (r = 0.685, p < 0.05), intergroup relations (r = 0.752, p < 0.05), problem-solving (r = 0.721, p < 0.05), passion and commitment (r = 0.781, p < 0.05), and skills and learning (r = 0.827, p < 0.05).

Table 6 Significance of the Relationship between Team Effectiveness and Job Performance

Table 6 shows that the relationship between team effectiveness and job performance is once again significant, implying that higher levels of team effectiveness will likewise produce marked increases in job performance for the respondent teachers. This shows that as with previous implications with school culture, there is a strong possibility that it is the interpersonal dynamic that produces synergy and creates workflows that improve on efficiency among respondents. Additionally, all indicators of team effectiveness are once again consistently showing significance, which heavily implies that in the respondents’ case at least, teamwork is approached holistically.

This agrees with prior research on teamwork and interpersonal workplace dynamic by Braha, M., & Karabulut, A. T. (2024), whose own research has shown that with the proper organizational infrastructure, establishing and fostering a harmonious work environment is very much possible so long as the proper variables are observed and balanced out which may include personal differences, cultural schisms, religious preferences, and other such divisive natures of the individual.

Correlation between School Culture and Job Performance

Table 7 presents the results of the significance test on the relationship between school culture and job performance. The relationship was tested at a 0.05 significance level. The overall result reflects that school culture positively correlates with job performance since the overall r-value is 0.881 with a p-value of less than 0.05, hence rejecting the null hypothesis. This means that there is a significant relationship between school culture and job performance of elementary school teachers.

In particular, it revealed a positive and significant relationship between the indicators of school culture and job performance, as indicated in the p-value of less than 0.05 and the r-value of 0.827 on professional collaboration, 0.824 on affiliative collegiality, and 0.865 on self-determination/efficacy.

Table 7 Significance on the Relationship between School Culture and Job Performance

Table 7 highlights a clear and significant relationship between school culture and job performance, implying that the state of school culture which includes intrinsic and extrinsic pressures exerted by both staff and students, as well as the expectations that are included within those variables can positively or even negatively influence the level of job performance which indicates that interpersonal dynamics in addition to environmental and psychological factors inherent in any organization does indeed affect the individual job performance of the employees working within the confines of that organization.

This coincides with prior studies of Pauwels, Helena, Tanghe, and Schelfhout, (2022) highlighting the significance of holistically integrating into considerations both extrinsic and intrinsic factors that could affect human behavior, which in this case seem to be the individual job performance of teachers. Additionally, from the results of professional collaboration, affiliative collegiality, and self-determination and efficacy, a large part of what makes school culture positive is the presence of a positive interpersonal dynamic between colleagues, as well as ample opportunities for self-improvement among professionals.

Best-Fit Model

Displayed in Table 8 is the summary of the Path Models using goodness of fit indices. The Table shows that model 1 failed to satisfy all the criteria in each index. Thus, this model is not considered a good fit model for the job performance of elementary school teachers. Additionally, all standard fit indices of path model 2 are within the required criteria: p-value is 0.809, CMIN/DF is 0.058, GFI is 1.000, CFI is 1.000, NFI is 1.000, TLI is 1.004, RMSEA is 0.000, and p-close value is 0.883. The result indicates that path model 2 is the best-fit model.

Table 8 Summary of Goodness of Fit Measures of the Two Generated Models

The best fit model shows the interconnectivity of all significant indicators of each independent variable to the most significant indicators from the dependent variable. Using Model 2 as the foundation, the following can be ascertained: school leadership, team effectiveness, and school culture have significant impact on job performance of teachers.

Figure 2. Best Fit Structural Model for Job Performance

The generated path model, presented in Figure 2, illustrates the interrelationship between the exogenous variables and its causal relationship to the job performance of elementary school teachers. As depicted by single-headed arrows, it revealed a causal relationship between team effectiveness, school culture, and job performance. These paths signify that for every unit increase in team effectiveness, there is a 0.11-unit increase in job performance, and for every unit increase in school culture, there is a 0.79-unit increase in job performance.

There is also a causal relationship between school leadership, school culture, and team effectiveness. These paths signify that for every unit increase in school leadership, there is a 0.43-unit increase in team effectiveness. On the other hand, for every unit increase in school culture, there is a 0.52-unit increase in team effectiveness.  Moreover, there is a strong correlation between school leadership and school culture, with a path coefficient of 0.73.

Figure 2 clearly shows the specifics of the causal relationships between the variables in exacting detail, with individual indicators highlighted by their contribution to increasing job performance. It has been said before that all independent variables have a proportional and direct relationship with job performance, and figure 2 shows that between school culture and team effectiveness, school culture contributes a large majority of the increase in job performance when taken holistically, while team effectiveness, though the consistent indicator, only improves job performance by 0.11 units for every unit it rises compared to school culture’s 0.79.

Additionally, school leadership seems to be able to increase team effectiveness on a 0.43 ratio as shown by the figures, while school culture does so at a 0.52-unit ratio which is significantly closer than the disparity between team effectiveness and school culture. These findings show that in the pursuit to improve job performance, the most important aspect is improving school culture, as it contributes largely to the increase in job performance, followed by improving school leadership as this provides a loop to increasing team effectiveness, and eventually improving school culture, which agrees with previous research done by Kawther, Dănăiaţă, and Cadinoiu (2023).

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the independent variables school leadership, team effectiveness and school culture all exhibit very high levels of expression, while the dependent variable of job performance likewise also exhibits a very high level. Conversely, it can be concluded from the lowest scoring of their indicators that although all independent variables directly correlate with the dependent variable, there is still room for improvement, namely being able to attune to emotional undercurrents in school for school leadership, an attitude for prevention rather than maintenance for school culture, and being able to focus on issues that can be influenced for team effectiveness – which are all points that are recommended to be addressed, especially in the case of teachers and school administrators.

Additionally, it can be inferred that all independent variables thus presented in this study are capable of significantly affecting the dependent variable, however, the distribution is not equal. From the results it can be concluded that by far the highest contributor to job performance and by extension the level of other independent variables is school culture, which highlights the importance of the recommendation that it, along with its indicators should be receiving the bulk of attention and resources as school culture alone is capable of influencing a wide array of other variables that likewise positively influence job performance along with its own significant impact. It is therefore recommended that administrators, as well as relevant planning from the Department of Education emphasize support in improving this aspect of educational facilities.

All these conclusions point to a marked agreement and parallelism to the stipulated theoretical framework mentioned, as Harrison’s Enjoyment-Performance Theory (2007) itself highlights the importance of personal motivations and the extrinsic stimuli that affect it when assessing individual performance among employees. As he said in his own paper, humans as social beings tend to take a lot of cues from their environment, especially social, and where this does or does not agree with them can significantly impact how they perform within that work environment, which almost perfectly mirrors the importance of school culture shown in this study, as well as the positive significant of the other variables.

For future research, it is recommended to incorporate a triangulation using interview to provide more comprehensive understanding of each variable. It is also recommended to employ longitudinal design to examine how changes in leadership, culture, and team effectiveness over time influence job performance could provide a dynamic perspective on the relationships.

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