Work Motivation, Job Engagement, and Turnover Intention Among Guidance Counsellors in Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State

Retaining qualified guidance counsellors in public secondary schools is a critical human resources challenge for Nigerian state education systems, with turnover driven by a complex interplay of motivational and engagement factors. This study examined work motivation, job engagement, and turnover intention among guidance counsellors in public secondary schools in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. A cross-sectional correlational design was used, with 180 school counsellors from 60 secondary schools across six educational districts participating. The Work Motivation Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and the Turnover Intention Scale were administered. Path analysis and multiple regression were used. Findings revealed that work motivation significantly and positively predicted job engagement, while job engagement significantly and negatively predicted turnover intention. Intrinsic motivation was a stronger predictor of engagement than extrinsic motivation. Counsellors with higher job engagement reported significantly lower turnover intentions. Salary dissatisfaction and lack of administrative recognition were the most frequently cited motivators for turnover intention. The study concluded that Lagos State must develop retention strategies targeting both the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation dimensions of school counsellors. Recommendations included role enrichment policies, professional development investment, formal recognition frameworks for counsellor contributions, and salary review advocacy. Keywords: work motivation, job engagement, turnover intention, school counsellors, Lagos State.