Chinese kindergarten teachers’ effort–reward imbalance and organizational climate: A latent analysis

We classified latent profiles according to effort–reward imbalance indices for a cluster sample of 3,248 kindergarten teachers in Western China, and examined the characteristics of each profile and how they were affected by organizational climate. Findings showed there were three levels of effort–reward imbalance among kindergarten teachers: high (72.4%), medium (22.8%), and low (4.9%). Kindergartens belonged to one of four organizational climate categories: disengaged (43.3%), engaged (26.6%), open (12.1%), or enclosed (18.0%). Regarding the imbalance between the organizational climate among the kindergarten types and the rewards allocated to the teachers, those in an enclosed organizational climate were most likely to experience a high effort–reward imbalance, while teachers in an open organizational climate were most likely to have a medium-level effort–reward imbalance, and teachers in an engaged organizational climate were most likely to have a low effort–reward imbalance. Implications of the findings are discussed.