When students are absent, “teachers might miss the energy and enthusiasm that come from a fully attended class,” according to a study from Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association.

Published in November, “Do Teachers With Absent Students Feel Less Job Satisfaction?” also says student absenteeism may prompt educators to “worry about their academic progress and whether they are keeping up with classroom material. This concern for the well-being and success of students can contribute to job satisfaction, and frequent absences may exacerbate stress felt about the job itself.”

“Our findings show that a lack of good student attendance has the potential to detract from the satisfaction teachers get from instructing and helping their students learn and grow,” said co-author Michael Gottfried, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. “This has important implications for the current educational landscape. Addressing absenteeism is critical not only for improving student outcomes, but also for bolstering the teacher workforce, which faces a host of challenges.”

To view the study, click here.