Perceived Psychosocial Work Exposures, Workplace Resources and Occupational Wellbeing Among Secondary-School Teachers in Selected Areas of Sierra Leone: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Teachers are an important occupational group whose wellbeing may be influenced by psychosocial demands, organisational conditions and workplace resources. In Sierra Leone, evidence describing teachers’ workplace experiences from an occupational-health perspective remains limited. This study assessed perceived psychosocial work exposures, workplace resources and occupational wellbeing among secondary-school teachers in selected areas of Sierra Leone.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 teachers from Grade A government and government-assisted senior secondary schools in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Port Loko and Moyamba. Participants were recruited using a stratified multistage approach, with convenience recruitment of eligible teachers within geographic strata. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered electronically through KoboToolbox and analysed using IBM SPSS Version 27.0. Frequencies, percentages and percentage-point differences were used for descriptive analysis.
Results: Salary dissatisfaction relative to living costs was the most frequently reported adverse workplace exposure (61.3%), followed by inadequate planning and grading time (38.7%), workload dissatisfaction (36.3%), poor/very poor working conditions (32.6%) and perceived workplace insecurity (23.7%). Constructive feedback was reported by 96.1% of teachers, professional recognition by 77.4% and perceived adequacy of social-security benefits by 68.9%; however, only 26.0% reported administrative encouragement for further education or training. Overall, 47.5% were satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs, while 76.8% intended to remain in teaching for the next five years.
Conclusion: Participating teachers experienced a mixed occupational-health profile characterised by substantial salary-related dissatisfaction and other workplace demands alongside strong perceived interpersonal resources. The marked difference between job satisfaction and retention intention warrants further investigation. Strengthening work organisation, protected planning time, working conditions and professional-development support, while sustaining recognition and constructive feedback, may help improve teachers’ occupational wellbeing. Representative analytical and longitudinal studies are needed to identify determinants of wellbeing and actual teacher retention in Sierra Leone.

occupational health; psychosocial work exposures; teacher wellbeing; workplace resources; job satisfaction; teacher retention; Sierra Leone

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