The Impact of Leadership and Organizational Culture On Teachers' Job Satisfaction in Schools Under Samdrupjongkhar Dzongkhag
The Impact of Leadership and Organizational Culture On Teachers' Job Satisfaction in Schools Under Samdrupjongkhar Dzongkhag
Received: 25 Jul 2025; Received in revised form: 19 Aug 2025; Accepted: 23 Aug 2025, Published on: 28 Aug 2025
©2025 The Author(s). Published by TheShillonga. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
                    Abstract
                    Extensive research has explored the connection between leadership and organizational culture. However,
                    the specific impact of school principals' leadership styles on student achievement, teacher satisfaction, and
                    overall school climate has been under-researched. This study aims to investigate the organizational
                    culture, teacher job satisfaction, and the development of a positive and supportive school culture in various
                    schools in Bhutan, especially Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag. The sample size for this study consisted of
                    116 school teachers, of whom 90 were currently working in schools in Samdrup Jongkhar. These teachers
                    were asked about their principals’ leadership style and practices, organizational culture in the school, and
                    job satisfaction. It was found that all the teachers agreed on having a positive work culture in their
                    respective schools. Of the 116 teachers, 95 were also satisfied with their job; however, eight were not, and
                    the remaining 13 remained neutral. It can be noted that those who responded positively about their leaders
                    and the organizational culture were the teachers who were satisfied with their job.
                    Keywords— Leadership, Principal, Organizational Culture, Teacher satisfaction, Bhutan, Schools in
                    Bhutan
expectations that influence behaviors across the school          leadership and culture in their work (Parwati Asih et al.,
community, there is still a notable gap between leadership       2024). This synergy creates a feedback loop that not only
practices and the cultivation of a supportive, inclusive         enhances teacher satisfaction but also benefits students and
culture. Effective leadership is essential for fostering         the wider school community, ultimately fostering a
respect, collaboration, and continuous improvement               thriving educational environment.
among staff; however, many schools encounter difficulties        Promoting continuous learning and exploration, along with
in creating environments where both staff and students feel      creating platforms for knowledge sharing, is vital for
truly valued and supported. This disconnect has serious          enhancing the performance of teachers within a dynamic
implications: a thriving organizational culture is closely       and innovative school environment (Purwanto &
linked to teacher motivation and job satisfaction, whereas       Sulaiman, 2023). Effective leadership that offers moral
its absence can result in teacher disengagement,                 support, recognition, and appreciation significantly boosts
diminished commitment, and poorer student outcomes.              teacher morale. This, in turn, fosters a sense of pride in
Moreover, the failure to recognize teachers' contributions       their work, contributing to a more positive workplace
and the lack of emphasis on nurturing a positive workplace       culture (Setyawati, 2023) essential for improving overall
culture intensify these issues. Consequently, it is crucial to   teacher performance.
examine how leadership practices, organizational culture,
                                                                 In research conducted by (Sugiono & Nurhasan, 2025),
and teacher satisfaction are related while also identifying
                                                                 they found that organizational culture significantly impacts
practical strategies that can enhance school culture,
                                                                 job satisfaction. They added that a robust organizational
improve teacher well-being, and ultimately boost student
                                                                 culture fosters collaboration among employees, establishes
achievement.
                                                                 a stable work environment, and facilitates the development
Objective of the Research                                        of skills and experiences. An innovative, stable, and
The research study intends to examine the relationship           collaborative work environment enhances employee
between effective leadership practices, a positive               satisfaction, which, in turn, boosts work motivation. In
organizational culture, and their effects on teacher job         addition, they suggested that the agency could enhance
satisfaction across schools in Bhutan specifically in            employee involvement in decision-making processes,
Samdrupjongkhar Dzongkhag. By analyzing diverse                  provide opportunities for career development, and
leadership approaches, this study aims to understand and         cultivate a work environment that encourages
analyse how school leaders influence the values, beliefs,        collaboration and innovation to strengthen its
and practices that shape the organizational culture. The         organizational culture.
findings will offer valuable insights into how proficient        Organizational culture is a key factor influencing
leadership can cultivate a constructive and productive           employee motivation and job satisfaction. Research
school environment, ultimately enhancing teacher                 indicates a positive and significant relationship between
performance and increasing job satisfaction.                     organizational culture, organizational commitment, and
                                                                 both motivation and job satisfaction (Dirwan et al., 2024).
           III.      LITERATURE REVIEW                           Additionally, work motivation acts as a mediator, further
                                                                 enhancing the impact of organizational culture and
Leadership, teacher job satisfaction, and organizational
                                                                 commitment on job satisfaction. A study titled “Driving
culture are intricately linked, with each element
                                                                 Behavioral Change in Public Service” conducted by the
influencing and reinforcing the others. Effective leaders
                                                                 Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies
play a crucial role in shaping a positive organizational
                                                                 (RIGSS) in September 2022, revealed that a conducive
culture within schools by establishing a clear vision,
                                                                 environment has a direct influence on behavioral change
promoting transparent communication, and fostering trust
                                                                 and facilitates employees' ability to excel in their
among staff. When educators feel supported and valued by
                                                                 professional roles (Lhamo & Zam, 2022).
their leaders, their job satisfaction increases significantly
(Abdul Rojak et al., 2024). A strong organizational culture      Research consistently highlights the importance of
encourages collaboration, inclusivity, and engagement,           effective leadership in fostering job satisfaction. Principals
making teachers feel appreciated and motivated. In such an       who demonstrate supportive and collaborative leadership
environment, where professional growth, recognition, and         styles create an environment where teachers feel valued,
support are prioritized, teachers develop a sense of             leading to higher job satisfaction (Li et al., 2024).
belonging that is essential for their overall well-being and     Supportive relationships with colleagues also enhance job
retention (Verma & Kaur, 2024) . Satisfied teachers are          satisfaction, as collaboration and camaraderie contribute to
often more committed and engaged, reflecting the positive        a positive work environment (Mande & Supriadi, 2024).
The role of leadership in shaping the work culture within                      V.       DATA ANALYSIS
educational institutions is critically important. A healthy    This section provides a detailed analysis, discussion, and
work culture, cultivated through effective leadership,         interpretation of the data collected through Google Forms
drives schools toward success and innovation, ultimately       utilizing a five-point Likert scale. The insights gained from
enriching the educational experience for all involved          this data are essential for understanding the underlying
(Ashfaq Hassan Babar et al., 2025).                            trends and implications.
Research was conducted by RIGSS for civil servants             Part A – Biographical data of respondents
below 35 years of age to study “What motivates Young
                                                               The educators were requested to provide information
Civil Servants in Bhutan”. It was found that 76.7% of the
                                                               regarding their qualifications and the geographic location
employees were motivated at work, and one of the
                                                               of their current schools to facilitate a greater understanding
motivation factors was Leadership, which shows that
                                                               of their perspectives.
leadership plays a vital role in employees’ job satisfaction
(Yangchen et al., 2022).                                       The respondents’ qualifications for the research
                                                               encompassed seven teachers with a diploma, 88 with a
                                                               degree, 17 with a Master's and two with a Ph.D., as shown
Key research questions                                         in Table 1. It is crucial to have a diverse qualification
The study is guided by the following research questions:       background, as the perception of each individual could
    1.    How does leadership affect the workplace             depend on their qualification (Kumar & Bhadra, 2025).
          environment in schools and influence teacher job     The majority of the respondents were from schools in
          satisfaction?                                        Samdrup Jongkhar dzongkhag, which is located in the
    2.    What is the relationship between effective           southern part of Bhutan. The main reason for the majority
          communication from school leaders and teachers'      being from Samdrup Jongkhar could be because the author
          perceptions of the school culture?                   is currently the principal in one of the schools in Samdrup
    3.    In what ways does support and recognition from       Jongkhar.
          leadership impact teacher job satisfaction and                Table 1. Qualification of the respondents
          their decision to remain in their positions?
    4.     How can transformational leaders contribute to
          creating a positive and inclusive school culture
          that enhances teacher job satisfaction??
A substantial majority of respondents indicated strong             5=Strongly Agree. The interval for the scales was taken as
agreement regarding the leadership styles of their                 shown    in    Table    3,    considering     the    range
principals, which have contributed to the establishment of         (𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 (5) − 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 (1) = 4)
a positive and inclusive work environment. Furthermore,                                         4
                                                                   and the interval is 0.80 ( = 0.80).
                                                                                                5
many participants acknowledged that their principals
demonstrated qualities of encouragement and support,               The scale's interval plays a crucial role in capturing the
effectively aiding in the resolution of conflicts. However, it     perspectives of respondents for each statement. It helps
is noteworthy that a minority of respondents expressed             pinpoint where their views stand, providing valuable
uncertainty regarding the leadership practices of their            insights into their opinions.
principal. Specifically, 16 out of 116 respondents reported               Table 3. Interval of the scales for interpretation
a neutral stance on the statement, “My principal is a strong
                                                                   Scale                              Interval
role model for students and staff.”
                                                                   Strongly Agree                     1.00 – 1.80
A total of 103 respondents indicated that they felt included
in the decision-making process by the principal; however,          Agree                              1.81 – 2.60
six respondents expressed disagreement, suggesting that            Neutral                            2.61 – 3.40
there are instances in which some principals do not engage
                                                                   Disagree                           3.41 – 4.20
their teachers in this process.
                                                                   Strongly Disagree                  4.21 – 5.00
                                                                   The data presented in Table 4 indicates that the mean
Part C – Organizational Culture
                                                                   responses for nearly all statements reflect a consensus of
The second part of the questionnaire aimed to better               "Strongly Agree." This suggests that the prevailing
understand the existing organizational culture of various          organizational culture within the schools is positive,
schools in Bhutan through a five-point Likert scale with           fostering an environment conducive to the professional
ten statements. The average for each statement is taken to         development of educators and oriented towards the
understand the point of view of 116 respondents by taking          achievement of student success.
1=Strongly Agree, 2=Agree, 3=Neutral, 4=Disagree and
Mean 1.77 1.81 1.75 1.84 1.57 1.62 1.56 1.63 1.65 1.66
It is evident from the responses regarding from the above           VI.      FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
table that the respondents are more inclined towards the          A key insight drawn from the study reveals that effective
“Strongly Agree” side as compared to the rest of the data.        leadership plays a crucial role in cultivating a supportive
However, the data cannot be overlooked on the neutral             and encouraging workplace atmosphere, which, in turn,
scale, as there is a sufficient number of respondents who         ignites enthusiasm among educators about their
are not sure of their stance regarding job satisfaction.          professional      responsibilities.    Participants       who
It can be observed from Table 6 that while the rest of the        demonstrated high levels of agreement with the specific
statements show the respondents' point of view inclines           leadership practices adopted by their administrators
more towards ‘agree’ but for statements I and V, the              reported experiencing significantly elevated job
responses are dispersed throughout the five scales.               satisfaction. Furthermore, these individuals shared a more
                                                                  favorable view of their overall work environment,
                                                                  highlighting the profound impact that strong, supportive
                                                                  leadership can have on teachers’ morale and their
                                                                  perception of their roles within the educational setting.
                                                                  Based on the findings of the study, the following
                                                                  recommendations are proposed to enhance the educational
                                                                  environment:
                                                                      •    Enhancing Teacher Satisfaction: To improve
                                                                           teacher satisfaction, it is essential for schools to
                                                                           adopt a systematic approach to assess the needs
                                                                           and concerns of educators. This can be achieved
         Fig.1. Responses for statement I in percent                       through regular feedback mechanisms, such as
                                                                           comprehensive surveys and focused group
                                                                           discussions, which provide educators with an
The responses for statement I, “I am satisfied with my job                 opportunity to express their opinions and
as a teacher”, show that 81.9% of teachers are satisfied                   suggestions. Additionally, the introduction of
with their job, but 6.9% of teachers are not satisfied with                recognition programs and appreciation events can
their job. While it is evident that the majority are satisfied,            significantly enhance teacher morale, fostering a
11.2% of teachers are in a dilemma, as shown in Figure 2.                  sense of belonging and thus contributing to a
Similarly, for statement V, “I am motivated to continue                    positive organizational culture within the school.
working at this school”, the responses are spread                     •    Teacher Support Systems: The establishment of
throughout, where 93 teachers are motivated to continue                    robust support systems is vital for cultivating a
working at that school, 14 are not sure of their stand, and 9              positive school culture that prioritizes teacher
teachers are not motivated. From this data, it can be noted                growth and well-being. Schools should consider
that the majority of the teachers are happy working at their               implementing mentorship programs that pair
current school, as shown in Figure 3.                                      experienced educators with novice teachers,
                                                                           facilitating the exchange of best practices and
                                                                           providing guidance for professional development.
                                                                           Furthermore, encouraging peer collaboration
                                                                           through regular team meetings and professional
                                                                           learning communities can enhance teacher
                                                                           morale, promote the sharing of ideas, and support
                                                                           continuous professional growth.
                                                                  By thoughtfully implementing these strategies, schools can
                                                                  strengthen their leadership practices and foster an
                                                                  educational community that values excellence while
                                                                  prioritizing the well-being and satisfaction of their
                                                                  teachers.
      Fig.2. Responses for statement V (in numbers)
                  VII.      LIMITATION                            [2] Dirwan, Rajindra, Farid, Mande, H., Nursiah, & Supriadi,
                                                                       A. (2024). The Influence of Organizational Culture,
This research is concentrated exclusively on a sample of
                                                                       Organizational Commitment, on Motivation and Job
116 teachers selected from various government schools                  Satisfaction of Employees and Lecturers at Muhammadiyah
throughout Bhutan. Given that the total number of teachers             University of Palu. International Journal of Health,
in the country amounts to 10,096, encompassing both                    Economics, and Social Sciences (IJHESS), 6(3), 904–918.
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may constrain the broader applicability of the findings. To       [3] Fortuna Wisnu Wardana, Y., Sudirman, S., Saeful Rachman,
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                                                                       J., Somba Opu, K., Gowa, K., Selatan, S., Sangga Buana,
national scale in the future, ideally incorporating a more
                                                                       U., Phh ustofa No, J. M., Cibeunying Kaler, K., Bandung,
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                                                                       K., Barat, J., Al-M arhalah Al-, S., Bekasi, U., … Guru, K.
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This study highlights the critical relationship between                Job Satisfaction and its Correlation with Personal Profiles.
leadership, organizational culture, and teacher satisfaction           Article in Journal of Community Mobilization and
within schools in Bhutan, particularly in the Samdrup                  Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.5958/2231-
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Jongkhar Dzongkhag. The findings underscore the
                                                                  [5] Lhamo, S., & Zam, K. (2022). Driving Behavioural Change
significant impact that school principals' leadership styles
                                                                       in Public Service. RIGSS, Bhutan
have on creating a positive and supportive school                 [6] Li, J., Xue, E., & Liu, Y. (2024). The Chain Mediating Role
environment, which ultimately influences student                       of Teachers’ Job Stress in the Influence of Distributed
achievement and overall school climate. Effective                      School Leadership on Job Satisfaction: Evidence from
leadership, characterized by transparency, collaboration,              China, the United States, England, and Australia.
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the necessary resources and support, schools can enhance
                                                                       Motivation and Job Satisfaction of Employees and
the morale and job satisfaction of teachers.
                                                                       Lecturers at Muhammadiyah University of Palu.
It is evident that leadership practices are not only                   International Journal of Health, Economics, and Social
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