幼教老師職涯停滯會引發離職意圖？探討工作倦怠的中介效果與工作生活平衡的調節效果

DOES CAREER PLATEAU LEAD TO TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG PRESCHOOL TEACHERS? THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF JOB BURNOUT AND THE MODERATING EFFECT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE

研究目的
幼教老師在職涯發展上普遍面臨晉升有限與工作挑戰受限等困境，但不同類型的職涯停滯（層級型與工作型）如何影響離職意圖，仍缺乏實證比較。此外，過往研究多著重於職涯停滯的直接效果，較少檢驗其透過工作倦怠影響離職意圖的心理歷程；而工作生活平衡作為一項潛在的保護性資源，其在此歷程中是否能發揮調節作用亦未獲充分探討。基於此，本研究以資源保存理論為基礎，探討兩類職涯停滯對離職意圖的影響，檢驗工作倦怠的中介機制，並進一步驗證工作生活平衡的調節效果。
研究設計／方法／取徑
採用問卷調查法，以臺灣地區335位在職幼教老師為研究對象進行資料蒐集。研究資料以JASP 19.3版以及SPSS之PROCESS模組進行統計分析，以檢驗各項研究假設。
研究發現或結論
首先，研究結果發現，層級型職涯停滯對離職意圖具有正向影響，而工作型職涯停滯則未達顯著。其次，兩種類型的職涯停滯皆與工作倦怠具有正向影響，而工作倦怠亦與離職意圖具有正向影響。此外，工作倦怠在層級型職涯停滯與離職意圖之間具有部分中介效果；而在工作型職涯停滯與離職意圖之間具有完全中介效果。最後，工作生活平衡未能緩解層級型職涯停滯與工作倦怠間的關係，但能削弱工作型職涯停滯對工作倦怠的正向關係，展現其資源保護作用。
研究原創性／價值
本研究之結果凸顯幼教老師在面對職涯發展受限情境時，易因長期缺乏挑戰與晉升機會而產生持續性的工作倦怠，進而產生離職意圖。相較於過往多以職涯停滯為單一概念的研究，本研究區分「層級型」與「工作型」職涯停滯，進一步釐清其對倦怠與離職意圖的相對影響，補足既有研究在結構辨識上的不足。另一方面，若幼教老師具備較高的工作生活平衡時，能夠減緩因工作型職涯停滯帶來的倦怠反應，顯示適當資源支持有助於阻斷耗損歷程。本研究不僅深化幼教老師職涯發展風險之理解，亦驗證資源保存理論於幼教情境下的適用性，對未來教育政策與教保人員支持制度的規劃具有理論價值與實務貢獻。
教育政策建議或實務意涵
當幼教老師面臨職涯停滯感時，園所可透過多元職務歷練與工作挑戰，如職涯諮詢、同儕導師制度與進修培訓，提供具體發展支持，協助教師重建職涯動機與成長信念，降低資源匱乏所帶來的倦怠感。另建議園所重視教師的工作生活平衡，營造支持家庭角色的職場文化，例如提供育兒資訊、辦理親職活動，協助教師在工作與生活間取得平衡，進而減少倦怠與離職風險，提升教保現場之穩定性與專業品質。

Purpose
Preschool Teachers often face constrained promotion opportunities and limited job challenges; however, empirical comparisons of how different types of career plateau—hierarchical and job-content—affect turnover intention remain insufficient. Moreover, prior studies have focused largely on the direct consequences of career plateau, with limited attention to the psychological mechanisms through which it influences turnover intention via job burnout. Whether work–life balance (WLB), as a potential protective resource, can moderate this resource-depletion process also remains underexplored. Guided by Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study investigates the effects of two forms of career plateau on turnover intention, examines the mediating role of job burnout, and further tests the moderating effect of WLB.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was administered to 335 in-service preschool teachers in Taiwan. The collected data were analyzed using JASP 19.3 and the PROCESS macro for SPSS to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings/results
Results showed that hierarchical career plateau was positively associated with turnover intention, whereas job-content plateau did not demonstrate a significant direct association. Both types of career plateau were positively related to job burnout, and job burnout, in turn, was positively associated with turnover intention. Moreover, job burnout partially mediated the association between hierarchical career plateau and turnover intention, whereas it fully mediated the association between job-content plateau and turnover intention. Finally, work–life balance did not moderate the association between hierarchical career plateau and job burnout; however, it significantly attenuated the positive association between job-content plateau and job burnout, indicating its protective function in line with the principles of COR theory.
Originality/value
This study reveals that preschool teachers are prone to prolonged job burnout when confronted with limited career growth, which in turn increases their intention to leave. By differentiating between hierarchical and job-content plateaus, the study clarifies their distinct roles in influencing burnout and turnover intention, addressing a conceptual gap in prior research. Furthermore, the buffering effect of work-life balance underscores the protective value of personal resources, offering theoretical validation of COR theory within early childhood settings. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of career risks in this field and offer both theoretical and practical implications for supporting preschool teachers’career sustainability.
Implications for policy/practice
When preschool teachers experience career plateaus, organizations should provide developmental support through diversified job assignments, career counseling, mentoring programs, and continuing education. These strategies can help rebuild motivation and reduce burnout caused by resource depletion. Additionally, preschool centers should foster a family-supportive work environment by offering parenting resources and organizing parent-related activities. Such efforts can help preschool teachers achieve a better balance between work and life responsibilities, thereby reducing burnout, and improve workforce stability and educational quality.