The Influence of Leadership Style, Motivation, and Work Environment on Teacher Performance

Yulia Nurmalasari; Hendarman Hendarman; Farida Wulandari

doi:10.58421/gehu.v5i1.1013

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58421/gehu.v5i1.1013

Authors

Yulia Nurmalasari Universitas Pakuan
Hendarman Hendarman Universitas Pakuan
Farida Wulandari Universitas Pakuan

Keywords:

Early Childhood, Leadership Style, Path Analysis, SITOREM, Teacher Performance

Abstract

Background and Objective: This study addresses critical learning losses in Indonesian early childhood education (PAUD) following the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by a 25% teacher turnover rate in private institutions. The research examines the direct and indirect effects of school principals' transformational leadership style, teacher work motivation, and work environment on overall teacher performance in private kindergartens, with motivation hypothesised as a mediating mechanism. Method: A quantitative correlational survey design was employed across 26 private kindergartens in Cibinong, Bogor Regency, Indonesia. The study population comprised 169 permanent foundation teachers, and the final sample of 119 respondents was determined using Slovin's formula (e = 0.05) and proportional random sampling. Data were collected using validated 5-point Likert-scale questionnaires measuring four constructs: teacher performance (36 items), leadership style (36 items), work motivation based on Maslow's hierarchy (36 items), and work environment—both physical and non-physical aspects (36 items). All instruments demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's Alpha >0.97). Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, classical assumption testing, multiple regression analysis, path analysis with Sobel testing for indirect effects, and SITOREM (Scientific Iterative Tabulation-Oriented Educational Recommendation Method) for prioritised intervention recommendations. SPSS version 26 was used for all statistical analyses. Results: The path analysis model explained 79.6% of the variance in teacher performance (R²=0.796). Work motivation exhibited the strongest direct effect (βy2=0.392, p<0.001), followed by principal leadership style (βy1=0.284, p<0.001) and work environment (βy3=0.215, p=0.002). Work motivation significantly mediated both the leadership effect (indirect path βy12=0.142, p<0.001) and environmental effect (indirect path βy32=0.117, p<0.001), confirming its central role in performance outcomes. SITOREM analysis identified three priority interventions: a 50% increase in teacher honoraria to address physiological and self-actualisation gaps; transformational leadership training to strengthen team development and communication; and non-physical environmental improvements, including career counselling and organisational culture development, to reduce turnover

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

D. Goldemberg, J. P. Azevedo, S. A. Iqbal, A. Hasan, and K. Geven, Simulating the Potential Impacts of COVID-19 School Closures on Schooling and Learning Outcomes: A Set of Global Estimates. World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020. doi: 10.1596/1813-9450-9284.

S. Hammerstein, C. König, T. Dreisörner, and A. Frey, “Effects of COVID-19-Related School Closures on Student Achievement-A Systematic Review,” Front Psychol, vol. 12, Sep. 2021, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.746289.

E. B. Hadley, S. Liu, E. Kim, M. McKenna, and K. Hull, “Tracing the Impact of COVID-19 on Early Language and Literacy Development from Pre-K Through First Grade,” AERA Open, vol. 11, Jul. 2025, doi: 10.1177/23328584251338816.

UNESCO, Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in education: A tool on whose terms? GEM Report UNESCO, 2023. doi: 10.54676/UZQV8501.

A. Edwards, “Cultural-Historical Theory and Pedagogy: The Influence of Vygotsky on the Field,” 2017, pp. 153–166. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-3654-5_10.

H. Wasmuth, “Early Childhood Education and Care in a Post-Pandemic World: The Possibility of Reimaging the Child as an Other,” Knowledge Cultures, vol. 8, no. 2, p. 87, 2020, doi: 10.22381/KC82202012.

J. J. Montroy, R. P. Bowles, L. E. Skibbe, M. M. McClelland, and F. J. Morrison, “The development of self-regulation across early childhood.,” Dev Psychol, vol. 52, no. 11, pp. 1744–1762, Nov. 2016, doi: 10.1037/dev0000159.

Ministry of Education Culture Research and Technology, “Laporan capaian SDG 4 Indonesia 2023,” Jakarta, 2024.

R. W. Minarsih, L. Madyawati, and K. Laely, “Analysis of Turnover and Retention in Early Childhood Education Teachers,” ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 861–873, Jun. 2025, doi: 10.51574/ijrer.v4i3.3334.

H. Zhou and J. Ma, “Organizational Justice and Teachers’ Turnover Intention in Primary and Secondary Schools: The Importance of Sustainable Salary Management,” Sustainability, vol. 14, p. 13314, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.3390/su142013314.

Iskadariyah, N. A. Nyoman M., and D. Nugrahani, “Pengaruh Beban Kerja, Konflik Peran, dan Kepuasan Kerja terhadap Kesejahteraan Guru Sekolah Dasar di Kecamatan Limbangan Kabupaten Kendal,” Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan dan Ilmu Sosial, vol. 6, no. 6, pp. 4551–4577, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.38035/jmpis.v6i6.6522.

M. Gatot, “Mengukur Kinerja Guru Satuan PAUD,” Jurnal Obsesi : Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 6295–6302, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.31004/obsesi.v7i5.5403.

E. Purnomo, S. Suhairi, M. I. Harahap, and K. A. Samad, “Analysis Motivation Work and Environment Work to Employee Engagement Through Employee Organizational Commitment PT. Asam Jawa,” SENTRALISASI, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 116–138, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.33506/sl.v14i2.4357.

D. S. Ashar and Entoh Tohani, “Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Transformasional dan Budaya Sekolah Terhadap Kinerja Guru Taman Kanak-kanak,” Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini Undiksha, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 178–187, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.23887/paud.v13i1.85353.

A. E. Setyaningrum and F. A. Rahmania, “Applying maslow’s motivation theory to enhance teacher productivity in islamic boarding schools,” Asian Journal Collaboration of Social Environmental and Education, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 30–44, Jul. 2025, doi: 10.61511/ajcsee.v3i1.2025.1942.

Akhmaliah Siti Nailan and Mulyawan Safwandy Nugraha, “The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Teacher Performance: An Organizational Psychology Perspective in Educational Institutions ,” al-Afkar, Journal For Islamic Studies, vol. 8, no. 1 SE-Articles, pp. 1842–1856, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.31943/afkarjournal.v8i1.1693.

M. H. Wahyudin, “Peranan Kepemimpinan Politik TGB. Muhammad Zainul Majdi dalam Implementasi Sistem Ekonomi Syariah di Nusa Tenggara Barat,” UIN Mataram, 2023.

Sugiyono, Metode Penelitian Pendidikan. Bandung: Alfabeta, 2012.

J. W. Creswell, Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 4th ed., no. c. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2014.

Emzir, Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif & Kualitatif. Jakarta: Raja Grafindo, 2011.

Sudaryono, Metode Penelitian Pendidikan, 3rd ed. Jakarta: Rajawali Pers, 2018.

M. Rizky, M. Maryamah, M. A. Putra Pratama, and D. Desilawati, “Revitalisasi Pendidikan : Pengaruh Metode Pembelajaran Nabi Muhammad Terhadap Motivasi Belajar Siswa MI Era 5.0,” Jurnal Basicedu, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 3072–3080, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.31004/basicedu.v7i5.6152.

I. Ghozali, Aplikasi Analisis Multivariate dengan Program IBM SPSS 25 Edisi 9. Badan Penerbit UNDIP, 2018.

P. Yulianti and D. Hasan, “The Influence of Leadership Style, Motivation, and Work Discipline on Employee Performance at the Agency for Personnel and Human Resource Development of South Tangerang City,” Dinasti International Journal of Education Management And Social Science, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 1995–2005, Feb. 2025, doi: 10.38035/dijemss.v6i3.3900.

M. Alwi and A. Hermawan, “Optimasi Penguatan Kualitas Layanan Guru Melalui Pengembangan Kepribadian dan Keadilan Organisasi,” Jurnal Syntax Admiration, vol. 4, no. 7, pp. 1064–1075, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.46799/jsa.v4i7.914.

Sofni Indah Arifa Lubis, Zannatun Nisya, and Yuliana Lubis, “Learning Environment and Early Childhood Character Development in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory,” Int J Educ Res, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 44–56, Nov. 2024, doi: 10.62951/ijer.v1i4.93.