Teachers' work avoidance behaviours according to school principals' opinions

The purpose of this study is to reveal teachers' work avoidance behaviours, their underlying causes, the ways in which these behaviours are recognized, and their effects on the educational process, based on the views of school administrators. The research problem is grounded in the premise that factors such as lack of professional motivation, burnout, low sense of belonging, and perceived injustice among teachers negatively affect educational processes and reduce efficiency within the school climate. The study was conducted using a qualitative research approach and adopted a phenomenological design. The participants consisted of 14 school administrators working in the province of Düzce. Data were collected through semi-structured interview forms and analysed using descriptive analysis. The analysis yielded four main themes: (1) Definition of Work Avoidance, (2) Causes of Work Avoidance, (3) Recognition of Work Avoidance, and (4) Effects of Work Avoidance. The findings indicate that teachers exhibit work avoidance behaviors mainly in the form of avoiding duties and responsibilities, physical withdrawal, and passive resistance. The primary causes of these behaviours include lack of professional motivation, burnout, lack of recognition, personal and psychological problems, and perceiving tasks outside job descriptions as burdensome. School administrators stated that they recognized teachers' work avoidance behaviours mostly through behavioural indicators such as making excuses, remaining silent in meetings, postponing tasks, and avoiding communication. Furthermore, the study revealed that work avoidance behaviors negatively affect the school climate and culture, increase perceptions of injustice and distrust among teachers, and weaken student achievement and discipline. In particular, the disruption of lessons, the neglect of voluntary activities, and imbalances in workload lead to conflict, loss of motivation, and emotional distance in school relationships.