Associations between work overload, prolonging working hours, calling and exhaustion: Longitudinal evidence in a teacher sample

Abstract

Exhaustion in teachers is a widespread phenomenon, but longitudinal studies that examine both personal and situational risk factors longitudinally are rare. This study investigated the relationship between work overload, prolonging working hours, calling and exhaustion among teachers in Switzerland (N = 385). We conducted a secondary analysis using data from a larger longitudinal study and applied structural equation modelling across three measurement waves. Results indicated that prolonging working hours (PWH) predicted higher exhaustion six months later. No support was found for an effect of work overload on exhaustion nor for a mediating effect of prolonging working hours on exhaustion. Furthermore, calling was not associated with prolonging working hours, nor did it buffer the negative impact of work overload on exhaustion. The findings highlight the potential of early intervention in monitoring and addressing PWH in teachers and add to our understanding of calling as a potential double-edged sword.