Stress Tolerance and Work Productivity Among DepEd Teachers

Teaching is widely recognized as both a rewarding and demanding profession, with occupational stress posing challenges to teachers’ well-being and performance. Stress tolerance, understood as the ability to manage and respond effectively to work-related pressures, is an important factor influencing productivity in educational settings. This study investigated the relationship between stress tolerance and work productivity among secondary school teachers in autonomous schools in the southern part of the Division of Eastern Samar during the school year 2024–2025. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected from 174 teachers through a structured questionnaire. The findings indicated that stress-related experiences among teachers were generally low (grand mean = 2.20), suggesting that stressors were encountered infrequently rather than implying an absence of stress tolerance. In contrast, work productivity was found to be high (grand mean = 3.96), reflecting consistent and commendable performance among the respondents. Further analysis revealed a statistically significant moderate negative correlation between stress tolerance and work productivity (r = -0.500, p < 0.000), indicating that lower stress tolerance is associated with reduced productivity. These findings underscore the importance of effective stress management in sustaining teacher performance. The study highlights the need for institutional support mechanisms and well-designed policies on workload and ancillary assignments to promote teacher well-being and enhance productivity.