The effect of Child-Care Teacher's Self-efficacy and Work Environment on Job Crafting

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of childcare teachers' self-efficacy and work environment on job crafting. Methods To this end, a survey was conducted among 425 childcare teachers working at childcare0 centers in the Busan and Gyeongnam regions. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0, employing descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results First, childcare teachers' perceived self-efficacy averaged 3.46 out of 5, their work environment averaged 3.30, and job crafting averaged 3.81. Second, it was found that there are significant correlations between childcare teachers' self-efficacy, work environment, and overall job crafting as well as all its sub-factors. Third, the self-efficacy and work environment of childcare teachers explained 56.4% of task crafting, 58.3% of cognitive crafting, 60.9% of relational crafting, and 63.7% of collaborative crafting, which are sub-factors of job crafting. Among these sub-factors, self-regulatory efficacy, relationships with colleagues, and support for teacher professionalism were found to have a significant positive impact, with self-regulatory efficacy being the most explanatory. Conclusions To enhance the quality of childcare services and the professional development of childcare teachers, it is suggested that foundational data be prepared for strategies to promote job crafting among childcare teachers. Additionally, there is a need for various teacher training programs to improve teachers' self-efficacy and for institutional support to enhance the work environment.