Financial Wellness, Teacher Performance, and Retention: Foundations for a Financial Management Counseling Plan

This study utilizes a Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Design to examine the effect of participation in a financial wellness program on changes in teacher performance and retention rates among high school educators in selected public and private institutions within Muntinlupa City, Philippines. The pervasive issue of financial stress among educators is a well-documented precursor to heightened professional burnout, absenteeism, and ultimately, attrition. This research posits that targeted interventions in financial literacy—encompassing critical areas such as personal budgeting, effective debt management, and strategic savings—can serve as a powerful moderating variable to these negative outcomes. The quantitative component involves a pre-test/post-test analysis of key performance indicators (e.g., class attendance, student feedback) and retention metrics. Concurrently, the qualitative phase utilizes semi-structured interviews and surveys with a cohort of program participants to deeply explore their subjective experiences of financial stress reduction, enhanced job satisfaction, and strengthened professional commitment. Theoretically, this research is anchored in the Human Resource Management (HRM) framework, which underscores the direct correlation between an organization's investment in employee well-being and subsequent improvements in productivity, morale, and long-term organizational stability. The anticipated findings offer compelling empirical evidence for school administrators and educational policymakers, highlighting the strategic imperative of investing in the financial health of their teaching staff. The outcomes are expected to contribute to the development of evidence-based, sustainable support programs that benefit both educators and the broader educational ecosystem.