Quality of public school teachers' working life: Case of Sakarya

Quality of work life is a dynamic concept that is on the agenda of many international organizations and is used to shape policies related to the workforce based on the results of their periodic assessments. The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) operate globally in this area. At the national level, measurements are conducted by trade union confederations, trade unions, and researchers. In Turkey, such studies have been undertaken by academics and researchers focused on the tourism, healthcare, and metal industries. This study aims to measure the quality of work life of teachers working in public schools in Sakarya and to provide empirical contributions to the related literature. For this purpose, three objectives have been set. The first objective is to identify the scale to be used and adapt it based on expert opinion. The second objective is to collect data by applying the scale to teachers working in public schools. The final aim is to analyze and report the data. The study is significant because it tests the quality of the work-life scale developed based on ILO conventions and recommendations for teachers in Turkey. The scope of the study is limited to teachers working in public schools in Sakarya. The main reason for this restriction is the inability to obtain the necessary permissions for research from private school administrations. The study adopts a quantitative research methodology using a general survey design. The scale Durmuşkaya (2020) developed was adapted based on expert opinion. The study used cluster sampling, one of the probability sampling techniques. The study sample consists of teachers working in public schools in the Adapazarı and Serdivan districts (336 participants), selected based on population and teacher density in Sakarya. According to the scale, five represents "very good," and 1 represents "very bad." According to our findings, it is evaluated according to QWL parameters: equal treatment (4.2), occupational health and safety (3.3), work-life balance (3.7), industrial relations (4.3), talent development and training (3.6), work motivation (3.4), labour relations ( 4.1), leave rights (4.1), and general CRC (3.5). Accordingly, it has been determined that the biological working life of employees in public schools in Sakarya province is at a 'good' level.