Arbetsmiljöns påverkan på gymnasielärares hälsa

Sammanfattning: High-school teachers have an occupation with one of the highest risks of going on sick leave due to the strain on mental health from the workplace. This thesis aims to examine which factors in the workplace affect the health of high school teachers the most. Teachers from two high schools in Uppsala, Sweden, have been interviewed in a qualitative study, to find the root causes of stressors in the workplace. The findings show that the high workload in combination with limited time, along with an effort-reward imbalance, contribute to a negative effect on health. Coworkers are an important factor of support, and the lack of coworker or managerial support increase tension. In Sweden, political decisions made by the government and municipalities have a direct effect on the governance of high schools, including budget and formal requirements, with great effects on the teaching profession. The commercialization of Swedish schools give students and parents the power of customers, adding a dimension of pressure to the teaching profession. Furthermore, the backgrounds and personalities of teachers also affect their perceived state of wellbeing, and their reactions to workplace stressors. In conclusion, we argue that the five main factors affecting the well-being of high-school teachers at work are outer demands, control, support, reward, and inner capabilities of coping with strain.