Being present: a longitudinal study on the role of mindfulness on engagement and burnout in teachers

PurposeThe purpose of this two-wave longitudinal study was to examine the role of mindfulness as mediator between social support and engagement and as a moderator in the relationship between work overload and burnout, both cross-sectionally and after one year.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consisted of 243 Peruvian teachers. Structural equation modeling and SPSS Process Macro were used to test the hypothesis.FindingsThe results show that mindfulness mediated the relationship between social support and engagement at both times but doesn't moderate the relationship between work overload and burnout at either time.Originality/valueThis study highlights the role of mindfulness as a valuable personal resource in the workplace, as it facilitates a higher functioning at work while identifying relevant organizational characteristics that have an influence in its use.