Iranian EFL Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in Private Language Institutes based on Test of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

The present study aspired to explore the level of job satisfaction among EFL teachers in the private sector based on Maslow‘s theory. Concerning empirical studies that were mostly conducted through the quantitative method, the researcher aimed to run qualitative research by allowing the participants to express their inner voice about their current status in the teaching profession. For this purpose, a semi-structured interview was carried on from twenty-one EFL teachers in Mazandaran province. Then, they were required to express their emotional states towards their job and current status in the teaching profession. Accordingly, the data were analyzed based on the grounded theory. Coding of collected data resulted in two categories, namely, determiners of job satisfaction and determiners of job dissatisfaction with their sub-categories. The most significant reasons for job dissatisfaction among EFL teachers were an insufficient salary, lack of job stability/ security, the limited chance of job promotion, lack of a pleasant interpersonal relationship, and lack of needed facilities. On the other hand, the factors of their satisfaction included the nature of the teaching profession, adaptable working time, flexible teaching materials, and working with adults/ children. Afterward, the findings of the study were compared and contrasted with Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs. The result of this research was totally in line with Maslow‘s theory that once teachers‘ basic needs are not met, upper-level needs do not rise. To put in in another way, they are less likely to perform at higher levels of potential if their basic needs are not provided.

Keywords:

Job satisfaction , EFL teachers , Private language institutes