The Impact of Workplace Spirituality and Psychological Capital on Elementary School Teachers' Motivation

To improve school quality, it is essential for teachers to play a central role. Teacher efficacy largely depends on strong work motivation, which can be enhanced by fostering workplace spirituality and psychological capital. This study aimed to analyze the demographic differences among elementary school teachers regarding workplace spirituality, psychological capital, and teacher motivation. It also sought to examine the relationships between workplace spirituality, psychological capital, and teacher motivation. Particularly, it aimed to explore the impact of workplace spirituality and psychological capital on teacher motivation. This study included 348 teachers from various elementary schools across Taiwan. Its findings confirmed that the assessments of workplace spirituality, psychological capital, and teacher motivation were both reliable and valid. Male teachers exhibited greater efficacy and resilience in terms of psychological capital compared to their female counterparts. Teachers with more years of experience demonstrated greater efficacy, hope, and psychological capital, while those with fewer years of experience reported higher workplace spirituality. Moreover, workplace spirituality and psychological capital were significantly correlated with teacher motivation. The most influential predictors of teacher motivation were identified as workplace spirituality and psychological capital. As a result, the implication of this study is that school organizations can enhance teacher motivation by promoting workplace spirituality and psychological capital.