Britain has a culture of long working hours, resulting in significant levels of work-related stress. Teachers are arguably the professional group most likely to experience pathological stress and burnout as a result of working long hours. Research in schools suggests that teachers’ work orientations are strongly influenced by factors of personal identity, social background, career stage and personal resilience to stress. In Further Education (FE) research hitherto has emphasised the impact of Government policy and managerial style on teacher behaviour, and notions of teacher professionalism. There has been less research into the impact of FE teacher identities and attitudes towards work upon their working lives. This thesis investigates the relatively under-researched area of work culture within a single FE College, in an attempt to discover the reasons underlying teacher’s reactions to the pressures of overwork. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 teachers and managers to investigate teacher responses to the work culture of the College. Based upon existing theoretical models of stress and burnout, three groups of potential determinants are explored: personal identity, the social context of the College, and the impact of external political, economic and social factors. The research confirms the existence amongst College teachers of a culture of working long hours, and identifies examples of stress and burnout. Interview responses support previous research findings concerning the central importance of teacher identity. Interview data underline the importance of personal factors in determining teachers’ responses to workload and their resilience to stress. A model is developed which summarises potential teacher responses to workload stress, and proposes ways in which these may be linked to factors of teacher identity and work cultures. The findings also highlight the pivotal role of managers and work teams in supporting teachers, particularly those most emotionally susceptible to stress.

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Text in German with English and German summaries / Viel Stress und mangelnde Stressbewältigung beeinflussen das gesamte Leben von interkulturellen Mitarbeitern, wie Gesundheit, geistliches Leben, Arbeitsleistung und Beziehungen. Langjährige und umfangreiche Information über Stress und Stressbewältigung zeigte nur wenig positive Veränderung. Diese Untersuchung beschreibt und reflektiert das Erleben und den Umgang mit Stress interkultureller Mitarbeiter, um eine Grundlage für bessere Möglichkeiten zum Stressmanagement im interkulturellen Kontext zu schaffen und damit authentisches geistliches Leben zu fördern. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, aufzuzeigen, wie die Pastoraltherapie interkulturelle Mitarbeiter in ihrem Stressmanagement unterstützen kann. Die Untersuchung über Stress und Stressmanagement von christlichen Mitarbeitern im interkulturellen Kontext soll interkulturelle Mitarbeiter, ihre sendenden Organisationen und Seelsorger informieren und eine Grundlage für Workshops und pastoral-therapeutische Gespräche über Stressmanagement werden. Diese Arbeit zeigt auf, dass Pastoraltherapie einen wichtigen Beitrag in der Verbesserung der Stressbewältigung von christlichen interkulturellen Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern leisten kann. / Cross-cultural workers often experience very stressful conditions yet often lack appropriate coping mechanisms. Too much stress over a long period of time influences every aspect of life, like health, spiritual life, work performance and relationships. Continuous and extensive information about stress and stress management have not brought the desired changes. This research analyses stressful conditions and stress management strategies of intercultural workers in order to show the reasons for this lack of stress management. The outcome of this research will be used as a foundation to help intercultural workers to find ways how to manage their stress more effectively and to foster authentic spiritual life.The goal of this study is to highlight how pastoral therapy can support intercultural workers in their stress management. This research will show that pastoral therapy can make a significant contribution to improve stress management for Christian cross-cultural workers. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology (Pastoral Therapy))