Contextual Effects of Workplace Social Capital on Break Adequacy of Nursery Teachers

Background

Early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings in Japan, teachers often take rest breaks within the workplace, where they may remain psychologically or physically engaged in duties. Consequently, breaks are frequently skipped or interrupted, compromising their quality. Previous studies suggest that break quality has a greater impact on employee health than duration alone. Workplace social capital (WSC), reflecting trust and mutual support among employees, may play a key role in these conditions. Our previous study suggested that break practices might partially mediate the relationship between WSC and health. However, whether WSC is directly associated with perceived break adequacy remains unclear. This study examined the relationship between WSC and perceived break adequacy among nursery teachers using a nationwide multilevel dataset.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2024, targeting 5,000 randomly selected nursery schools across Japan. Questionnaires yielded 2,727 responses from 998 facilities. Overall, 2,060 participants were included in the analysis. Perceived break adequacy, ranging from sufficient to not at all, was used as the outcome variable. WSC was measured using the eight-item Finnish Public Sector Study scale. Individual-level WSC was each respondent’s score, while unit-level WSC was the mean score of coworkers within the same facility. Multilevel ordered logistic regression models were applied, adjusting for demographic and work-related characteristics.

Results

Higher individual-level WSC was significantly associated with greater perceived break adequacy (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.23–1.33). Workplace-level WSC also showed an independent positive association (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.14), indicating a contextual effect beyond individual perceptions.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that both individual- and workplace-level social capital are associated with perceived break adequacy among nursery teachers.

Key messages

• Both individual and workplace-level trust and support contribute to better perceived break adequacy, suggesting organizational climate matters for nursery teacher health.

• Enhancing trust and support in childcare workplaces may help ensure better rest breaks, potentially improving their well-being beyond structural or time-based interventions.