Research question 1
What is the relationship between the individual wages for teachers and support staff and job satisfaction? The job satisfaction data came from, the response to the Early Childhood Job Satisfaction Survey (ECJSS) (see Appendix A) and wage information was obtained from the Supplemental Information Sheet …show more content…
Despite having higher levels of formal education than the average American worker, childcare staff earned extremely low wages in 1989. Between 1977-1988, childcare staff wages had decreased over 20%. Staff turnover almost tripled from 15% in 1977 to 41% in 1988 (Whitebook, et al., 2014). The most important determinant of staff turnover, among the adult work environment variables, was staff wages. Childcare staff that earned the lowest wages was twice as likely to exit their jobs as those who earned the highest wages (Whitebook, Philips, &Howes, 2014). Cassidy et al., (2011) research indicated that an estimated 82% of childcare teachers employed in 1994, and 76% childcare teachers employed in 1996, exited the field by the year 2000. Childcare staff earned less than half compared to an educated woman and less than one-half of an educated man in the civilian labor force. The trends 25 years since National Childcare Staffing Study (NCCSS, 1989) were similar; in fact childcare workers earned less than animal caretakers in both 1997 and 2013 (Whitebook, Philips, &Howes, 2014). Thirty-five percent (1114) of childcare staff stated accessing of public support in …show more content…
According to Maslow’s (1943) theory of the hierarchy of human needs are arranged in order of influence and the appearance of one need usually rests on the prior satisfaction of another, which is a more powerful need. Further, Granger and Marx (1992) findings suggested that job satisfaction ratings combined with wage and working conditions predicted teacher job stability. Corresponding to Lee (2006) teacher job satisfaction was influenced by salary level along with other factors such as a meaningful life through teaching. The low wages have been linked to childcare staff turnover; wages had a correlation with staff turnover in childcare in research studies (Granger & Marx, 1992; Manlove & Guzell, 1997; Currall et al., 2005; Shpancer et al. (2008); Buchanan, 2012). Boyd, (2013), suggested considerable increase in wages and benefits as a fundamental to improving early chilcare program quality; conversely, measures might lead to manipulation of childcare staff. The research findings of the current study agreed with Shpancer et al., (2008) study that caregivers were overall satisfied with the process elements. Findings from the sample of this study aligned