Influence of interpersonal communication, work environment and locus of control on teachers’ job satisfaction

Abstract

Improving teachers’ job satisfaction is a challenge since the needs and the character of teachers who live in small districts are different to those living in big cities. The purpose of this study is to obtain information about the influence of interpersonal communication, work environment, and locus of control on job satisfaction. This research involved public elementary teachers in Tigapanah District, North Sumatera, Indonesia. The total sample of 136 teachers were selected using the Kreijcie and Morgan Table, while proportional random sampling was used to determine the selected data. To test the hypothesis, the data was analysed by using path analysis after fulfilling the analysis requirements test, namely the Normality and Linearity test. The research findings show that teachers’ job satisfaction was directly influenced by interpersonal communication, work environment and locus of control. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that any change or variation that occurs in Job Satisfaction is influenced by interpersonal communication, work environment and locus of control. From the findings on the three variables, it turns out that the locus of control influences more in increasing job satisfaction, followed by work environment and interpersonal communication. Therefore, in managing job satisfaction of the teachers, interpersonal communication, work environment and locus of control must be included in the strategic planning of human resource development in Public Elementary School Teachers’ in Tigapanah District, while other variables need to be taken into account by future research on job satisfaction.