Mindful Leadership for Teacher Wellbeing and Retention: Investigating the Impact of Emotionally Supportive Leadership on Burnout and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of emotionally supportive and mindful leadership on teacher burnout and job satisfaction among faculty members in private universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory, Mindful Leadership Theory, and Emotional Intelligence framework, the research adopts a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire distributed to 350 university teachers. Standardized scales were used to measure leadership style, burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and job satisfaction (Job Satisfaction Survey). The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between emotionally supportive leadership and teacher burnout, and a strong positive correlation between mindful leadership and job satisfaction. Regression analyses confirmed that both emotionally supportive and mindful leadership significantly predict these outcomes. Moreover, gender and departmental differences were observed, with male teachers reporting higher burnout and IT faculty reporting the highest levels of job satisfaction. These results underscore the critical role of emotionally intelligent and mindful leadership in fostering teacher well-being and retention in higher education. The study advocates leadership development initiatives that prioritize emotional support and mindfulness to create healthier, more productive academic environments.

Keywords: Mindful Leadership, Teacher Burnout, Job Satisfaction, Emotionally Supportive Leadership, Emotional Intelligence.Top of FormBottom of Form