Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.35.0.00
Thriving or Surviving? Work Engagement and Burnout Profiles among Early-Career Teachers
Tea Pavin Ivanec
orcid.org/0000-0003-3225-2272
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Dora Petrović
orcid.org/0000-0002-3873-9631
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Iris Marušić
orcid.org/0000-0003-4837-790X
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify early-career teachers'
profiles based on their occupational well-being, i.e. work
engagement and burnout, and to examine differences in job
satisfaction and planned persistence in the teaching
profession across these profiles. A total of 599 subject
teachers with up to 5 years of teaching experience completed
an online questionnaire assessing their occupational well-
-being and related outcomes. Latent profile analysis
identified three distinct profiles: highly engaged (50.3%),
moderately engaged (43.7%), and at risk (6.0%). Whereas
highly and moderately engaged profiles reflected high to
moderate levels of work engagement and low levels of
burnout, the at risk profile reflected around-average
levels of both work engagement and burnout. Teachers in
the highly engaged profile reported the highest job
satisfaction and strongest intention to remain in the
profession, followed by those in the moderately engaged
profile, whereas at risk teachers had the lowest levels of
satisfaction and planned persistence. These findings support
previous research, emphasising the critical role of
occupational well-being in fostering teacher retention and
job satisfaction.
Keywords
teachers' occupational well-being; work engagement; burnout; early-career teachers; person-centred approach
Hrčak ID:
346070
URI
Publication date:
9.2.2026.
Visits: 326 *