The Examination of Teachers’ Levels of Organizational Happiness

This study aims to investigate the levels of organizational happiness of teachers working in primary, secondary, and high schools and to determine whether there is a significant difference in terms of some demographic characteristics. The screening model was employed in the study. The study population consists of teachers working in the Küçükçekmece, Ba ğ cılar, Avcılar, and Esenyurt districts during the 2017 − 2018 academic year. The sample of the study comprises 297 teachers working in the Küçükçekmece, Ba ğ cılar, Avcılar, and Esenyurt districts and selected via the convenience/incidental sampling method. In the study, the “ Personal Information Form ” created by the researchers and the “ School Happiness Scale ” developed by Bulut (2015) were used as data collection tools. The SPSS packaged software was used in the data analysis. According to the results of the data analysis, teachers’ general happiness perceptions and organizational happiness perceptions were observed to be high according to the subdimensions of management processes, attitudes towards the teaching profession, communication, commitment and economic provision of the School Happiness Scale. Teachers’ perceptions of organizational happiness differed significantly according to the level of education taught by teachers in the subdimensions of management processes and economic provision of the School Happiness Scale. Teachers’ perceptions of organizational happiness differed significantly according to professional seniority in the management processes subdimension of the School Happiness Scale. Teachers’ perceptions of organizational happiness differed significantly in the subdimensions of management processes, attitudes towards the teaching profession, commitment, and economic provision of the School Happiness Scale and according to the branch variable in the overall total. Teachers’ perceptions of organizational happiness did not differ significantly according to the variables of gender, educational status, age, and seniority in the school where they worked.


Introduction
The concept of happiness, which has increasing importance nowadays, has maintained its significance since the beginning of history, and individuals alone and societies altogether have made efforts to achieve happiness. This concept, which is the meaning of life for everyone, has been the subject of studies and explanations in many disciplines such as psychology, medicine, and economy. Furthermore, many scientists, thinkers, and social researchers have discussed and defined happiness in different ways and with different approaches (Akduman & Yüksekbilgili, 2015). Some thinkers explained the concept based on religious terminology, while others defined it from a hedonist and eudaemonic perspective. Farabi used happiness in the sense of "conscientious comfort" and "path to follow by acquiring virtues" (Özgen, 2005). Descartes defined happiness as follows, "Happiness is full spiritual satisfaction and inner contentment" (Türkben, 2010). According to the Turkish Language Association, happiness is defined as "pleasure, gladness, prosperity, delightfulness, well-being, bliss, felicity achieved for fully and continuously fulfilling all the longing" (TLA, 2020). Hills and Argyle (2002) described happiness as a pleasant and desired characteristic that depends on the personal attitude and instincts and results from positive feelings and satisfaction with life. Ekman and Friesen (2003) defined happiness as "a spiritual state containing feelings such as enjoying, feeling excited and relaxing and a general positivity beyond these feelings." Veenhoven (2008) expressed happiness as a person's enjoying life as a whole in the general sense. Franklin (2010) defined happiness as "a positive feeling that has a long effect on people and consists of a series of satisfied pleasures." degree, and 40 (13.5%) were postgraduates. It was found that 88 (29.6%) of the participants had professional seniority of 0−5 years, 105 (35.4%) of 6−10 years, 57 (19.2%) of 11−15 years, and 47 (15.8%) had professional seniority of 16 years and above. It was determined that 203 (68.4%) of the participants had seniority in the school of 0−5 years, 57 (19.2%) of 6−10 years, 23 (7.7%) of 11−15 years, and 14 (4.7%) of 16 years and above. Of the participants, 83 (27.9%) were teachers in verbal branches, 62 (20.9%) were mathematics/science teachers, 63 (21.2%) were teachers in other branches, and 89 (30.0%) were primary school teachers. Of the participants, 141 (47.5%) worked in primary schools, 57 (19.2%) in secondary schools, and 99 (33.3%) worked in high schools.

Data Collection Tools
In the study, the Personal Information Form and the Organizational Happiness Scale were used as data collection tools.
Personal Information Form: In the personal information form, there are seven questions about gender, age, educational status, professional seniority, seniority in the school, branch, and the level of education taught.

Data Analysis
The SPSS packaged software was used in the data analysis and the significance level was taken as 0.05 among the variables. In data analysis, arithmetic mean and standard deviation were calculated, the t-test analysis of the levels of teachers' organizational happiness was performed according to the variables of gender and educational status, and the ANOVA analysis was conducted according to the variables of age, professional seniority, seniority in the school, branch and the level of education taught.

Results
In this section, results and interpretation of the study data are presented.

Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness
Descriptive statistics related to the levels of teachers' organizational happiness are presented in Table 1. When Table 1 is examined, it is observed that the levels of teachers' organizational happiness take the arithmetic mean value of  = 3.80 in the management processes subdimension,  = 4.12 in the subdimension of attitudes towards the teaching profession and communication,  = 3.82 in the commitment subdimension,  = 3.47 in the economic provision subdimension, and  = 3.87 in the subdimension of the total level of organizational happiness. Teachers' general happiness perceptions and organizational happiness perceptions were observed to be high according to the subdimensions of management processes, attitudes towards the teaching profession, communication, commitment, and economic provision of the Organizational Happiness Scale.

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Gender Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to their gender was evaluated by the t-test, and the results are presented in Table 2. When Table 2 was examined, no significant difference could be detected between the levels of organizational happiness regarding the subdimensions of management processes (t(297) = -.482, p > 0.05), attitudes towards the teaching profession (t(297) = 1.935, p > 0.05), communication (t(297) = 1.056, p > 0.05), commitment (t(297) = .930, p > 0.05), and economic provision (t(297) = .217, p > 0.05), and the total level of organizational happiness (t(297) = 1.113, p > 0.05) according to teachers' gender.

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Educational Status Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to their educational status was evaluated by the t-test, and the results are presented in Table 3. According to Table 3, there was no significant difference between the levels of organizational happiness regarding the subdimensions of management processes (t(297) = -.815, p > 0.05), attitudes towards the teaching profession (t(297) = -.472, p > 0.05), communication (t(297) = .258, p > 0.05), commitment (t(297) = -1.360, p > 0.05), and economic provision (t(297) = .036, p > 0.05), and the total level of organizational happiness (t(297) = -.524, p > 0.05) according to teachers' educational status.

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Age Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to their age was analyzed by the one-way analysis of variance, and the results are presented in Table 4. When Table 4 was examined, no significant difference could be found between the levels of organizational happiness regarding the subdimensions of management processes (F(2-294) = 1.489, p > 0.05), attitudes towards the teaching profession (F(2-294) = .169, p > 0.05), communication (F(2-294) = .098, p > 0.05), commitment (F(2-294) = .084, p > 0.05), and economic provision (F(2-294) = .568, p > 0.05), and the total level of organizational happiness (F(2-294) = .156, p > 0.05) according to teachers' age.

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Professional Seniority Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to their professional seniority was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance, and the results are presented in Table 5. When Table 5 was examined, no significant difference could be found between the levels of organizational happiness regarding the subdimensions of attitudes towards the teaching profession (F(3-293) = 1.853, p > jel.ccsenet.org Journal of Education and Learning Vol. 9, No. 5; 2020 0.05), communication (F(3-293) = .693, p > 0.05), commitment (F(3-293) = .690, p > 0.05), and economic provision (F(3-293) = .919, p > 0.05), and the total level of organizational happiness (F(3-293) = 1.501, p > 0.05) according to teachers' professional seniority. However, a significant difference was found between the subscale scores of the management processes subdimension (F(3-293) = 3.024, p < 0.05) according to the professional seniority of teachers. This difference was indicated in the significant difference column of the table. When the subscale scores of the management processes subdimension were examined according to the professional seniority variable of teachers, a significant difference was observed in favor of those with professional seniority of 0−5 years between teachers with professional seniority of 0−5 years and 6−10 years, in favor of those with professional seniority of 0−5 years between teachers with professional seniority of 0−5 years and 11−15 years, and in favor of those with professional seniority of 16 years and above between teachers with professional seniority of 16 years and above and 11−15 years.

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Seniority in the School Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to the seniority in the school variable was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance, and the results are presented in Table 6. When Table 6 was examined, no significant difference could be detected between the levels of organizational happiness regarding the subdimensions of management processes (

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Branch Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to the branch variable was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance, and the results are presented in Table 7. jel.ccsenet.org Journal of Education and Learning Vol. 9, No. 5; 2020 There was a significant difference among teachers in verbal branches, mathematics-science teachers, teachers in other branches, and primary school teachers when the subdimensions of "management processes" and "commitment" were examined according to the branches of teachers. This difference was in favor of teachers in verbal branches.
There was a significant difference among teachers in verbal branches, mathematics-science teachers, and teachers in other branches when the subdimension of "attitudes towards the teaching profession" was examined according to the branches of teachers. This difference was in favor of teachers in verbal branches.
There was a significant difference among primary school teachers, teachers in verbal branches, and mathematics-science teachers when the subdimension of "economic provision" was examined according to the branches of teachers. This difference was in favor of primary school teachers. A significant difference was found between teachers in other branches and mathematics-science teachers. This difference was in favor of teachers in other branches.
A significant difference was found among teachers in verbal branches, mathematics-science teachers, and teachers in other branches when the total level of organizational happiness was examined according to the branches of teachers. This difference was in favor of teachers in verbal branches. A significant difference was found between primary school teachers and mathematics-science teachers. This difference was in favor of primary school teachers.

Examination of the Levels of Teachers' Organizational Happiness According to the Level of Education Taught Variable
The differentiation status between the organizational happiness levels of teachers according to the variable of the level of education taught was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance, and the results are presented in Table 8.  When Table 8 was examined, no significant difference was found between the levels of organizational happiness regarding the subdimensions of attitudes towards the teaching profession (F(2-294) = 1.313, p > 0.05), communication (F(2-293) = .980, p > 0.05), commitment (F(2-293) = .112, p > 0.05), and the total level of organizational happiness (F(2-294) = .838, p > 0.05) according to the level of education taught by teachers. However, there was a significant difference in teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness in the subdimensions of management processes (F(2-293) = 6.444, p < 0.05) and economic provision (F(2-294) = 8.424, p < 0.05) of the School Happiness Scale according to the level of education taught. In the economic provision subdimension, this significant difference was in favor of primary school teachers working in primary schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in secondary schools, and in favor of primary school teachers working in primary schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in high schools. In the management processes subdimension, this significant difference was in favor of branch teachers working in secondary schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in secondary schools, and in favor of branch teachers working in high schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in high schools.
Teachers' general happiness perceptions and organizational happiness perceptions were observed to be "high" according to the subdimensions of "management processes, attitudes towards the teaching profession, communication, commitment and economic provision" of the School Happiness Scale. When the subdimensions were ordered in terms of the high level, attitudes towards the teaching profession and communication ranked first, commitment ranked second, management processes ranked third, and economic provision ranked fourth. In their studies, Arslan (2018), Akın and Şentürk (2012), Bulut (2015) (2019) also reported that the happiness of participants was at a high level. Birdoğan-Kuvvet (2019) and Düzgün (2016), on the other hand, revealed in their studies that the happiness of participants was at a medium level. No studies revealing low levels of happiness in teachers were encountered in the literature. As a result, it can be stated that teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness are high, they feel happy in schools, they are pleased with their conditions, and they are glad to have become teachers.
There was no significant difference in teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness according to the gender variable. In their studies, Bekil (2019) (2015), Şahin (2015), Şengül and Demirel (2016), and Yazıcı (2015) reported no difference between individuals' levels of happiness in terms of the gender variable. According to the gender of teachers, their levels of organizational happiness may differ since schools offer the same conditions to both female and male teachers and they work under similar conditions and similar difficulties. Another reason for the absence of a significant difference between gender and happiness may be the relationship of happiness with inner processes and personality traits rather than demographic characteristics. Unlike this study, Akın and Şentürk (2012) (2016) found women's levels of happiness to be higher compared to men. These differences may result from the population, sample, and the structure of the data collection tools used.
No significant difference was found in teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness according to the educational status variable. In their studies, Düzgün (2016), Kurnaz (2015), Öğüt (2018), Öztaş (2018), Selim (2008), Sönmez (2016), Tingaz (2013) and Yılmaz (2019) stated that there was no difference between individuals' levels of happiness in terms of the educational status factor. Within the scope of the study, it could have been thought that teachers' awareness, experiences, and their contribution to life would increase. Therefore, they would have more reasons to become happy as their educational levels increased. This may have resulted from the facts that the study was conducted on teachers, the educational levels of teachers would be at least a bachelor's degree, and the options of educational status were limited only to two options, undergraduate and graduate, as the demographic variable. Among the studies conducted, some studies are not parallel with these results. In his study, Kangal (2013) revealed that university or college graduates were happier than primary school graduates, primary education and high school graduates, and people who could not graduate from any school. According to the study carried out by Sevindik (2015), individuals with a bachelor's degree were happier than those with a master's degree. In the study, Korkut (2019) found that the group which declared they were the happiest group comprised teachers with associate degrees and the group with the lowest perception of organizational happiness consisted of teachers who had a master's degree. As the educational level increases, a relative decrease is observed in the perception of organizational happiness.
No significant difference could be detected in teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness according to the age variable. In their studies, , Aydemir (2008), Birdoğan-Kuvvet (2019), Çolak (2018), Demirel (2018), Duran (2016), Öztaş (2018), Sevindik (2015), Şahin (2011), andTopuz (2013) concluded that the level of happiness did not differ significantly according to the age groups. In this study, the fact that the age factor did not create any significant difference in happiness may have resulted from the inclusion of many internal and instantaneous factors in the concept of happiness. Individuals want to be happy in every period, independently of their age, and they make an effort for it. Whether female or male, no individuals avoid happiness because they are young or old. There are physical and mental needs to be fulfilled during every age period. It can be said that fulfilling these needs will make individuals happy, no matter what age period they are in. Among the studies conducted, some studies are not parallel with these results. In the study, Şentürk (2011) reported that the happiness levels of individuals aged "between 18−24" and "65 and above" were high. In their study, Eryılmaz and Ercan (2011) stated that the age factor created a difference in the happiness level. Individuals aged "between 14−17" and "between 26−45" are happier than individuals aged "between 19−25". In the study conducted, Gülcan (2014) found a significant relationship between age and happiness. The happiness scores of individuals aged "between 19−22" were determined to be higher compared to individuals aged "between 23−25".
There was a significant difference in teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness only in the management processes subdimension of the School Happiness Scale according to professional seniority. A significant difference was observed in favor of those with professional seniority of "0−5 years" between teachers with professional seniority of "0−5 years" and "6−10 years", in favor of those with professional seniority of "0−5 years" between teachers with professional seniority of "0−5 years" and "11−15 years", and in favor of those with professional seniority of "16 years and above" between teachers with professional seniority of "16 years and above" and "11−15 years". According to the management processes subdimension, this can be said to be significant for teachers in the first five years and being in the profession for "16 years and above", and they are happier in terms of this subdimension. Being a new teacher with low professional seniority and experiencing high-level excitement and the professional self-confidence of teachers with high seniority due to their experiences may have created a positive effect on their happiness. Çetin and Polat (2019) stated that the organizational happiness of secondary school teachers with professional seniority of "1−10 years" was higher than that of teachers with professional seniority of "11−20 years". In his study, Korkut (2019) expressed that the perception of organizational happiness of teachers with seniority of "1−5 years", who were in their early years, was lower than the perception of organizational happiness of groups with professional seniority of "6−10 years", "16−20 years", and "21+ years", which suggested that organizational happiness would be gained over time and required a long time depending on other psychological factors. In his study, Bulut (2015) revealed that the organizational happiness of new teachers who had worked for a year was higher than that of teachers working for more years. In the study conducted, Düzgün (2016) reported that the seniority years of teachers created a significant difference in their happiness. Teachers with professional seniority of "20 years and above" constituted the happiest group with the highest seniority participating in the study. In their studies, Birdoğan-Kuvvet (2019) and Özdemir and Kış (2019) stated that professional seniority did not affect happiness.
No significant difference could be detected in teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness according to the seniority in the school variable. In their studies, Bulut (2015), Çetin and Polat (2019), Duran (2016) and Düzgün (2016) indicated no difference between individuals' levels of happiness in terms of the seniority in the school factor.
When the teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness were examined, it was observed that teachers in verbal branches and primary school teachers were happier. Teachers in verbal branches and primary school teachers can express themselves in a better way, and this may affect their happiness. In the study conducted by Bulut (2015), it was concluded that teachers in verbal branches were happier than teachers in mathematics-science branches. As a result of the study carried out by Tingaz and Hazar (2014), the happiness scores of preservice physical education teachers and preservice primary school mathematics teachers were compared, and a significant difference was found between them. The happiness scores of preservice physical education and sports teachers were found to be higher than those of preservice primary school mathematics teachers. Özdemir and Kış (2019) stated that branch teachers received higher happiness scores than primary school teachers and explained this situation by the fact that it was tiring for primary school teachers to work with a young age group. Furthermore, they also mentioned the presence of positive feelings caused by branch teachers' allocating more time to themselves in the academic sense and professional satisfaction. In their studies, Duran (2016) and Uğur (2019) reported no significant difference between individuals' levels of happiness in terms of the branch variable.
Teachers' perceptions of organizational happiness differed significantly according to the level of education taught in the subdimensions of management processes and economic provision of the School Happiness Scale. In the economic provision subdimension, this significant difference was in favor of primary school teachers working in primary schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in secondary schools, and in favor of primary school teachers working in primary schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in high schools. In the management processes subdimension, this significant difference was in favor of branch teachers working in secondary schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in secondary schools, and in favor of branch teachers working in high schools between teachers working in primary schools and teachers working in high schools. In his study, Bulut (2015) reported that teachers working in science high schools were happier than teachers working in vocational high schools. Moçoşoğlu and Kaya (2018) concluded in their study that the organizational happiness scores of teachers working in primary school were higher than those of teachers working in secondary school, which was shown to result from the long time spent with the same students by primary school teachers, and thus, the creation of a warmer atmosphere. Furthermore, as is stated, the fact that primary school teachers had their own classrooms might have affected their happiness by leading to a more intense sense of belonging and owning. Bekil (2019) and Uğur (2019), on the other hand, expressed that the type of the school where teachers worked did not have any impact on happiness.
Based on these results, the following recommendations can be made: This study was conducted to determine teachers' levels of organizational happiness perception. It could not adequately reveal what situations organizational happiness is experienced in and what the expectations related to the organization are. For this reason, studies can be carried out by interviewing teachers, in a mixed design, including their answers to these questions and allowing for a more extensive and detailed description of the current situation. Researchers can investigate the relationship between leadership styles and organizational happiness.