The Role of Work Motivation in Mediating the Influence of Teacher Competence on Teacher Performance at State High School 19 Medan

Abstract

Teacher performance is a key factor in determining the quality of education and the effectiveness of the learning process in schools. Teachers with high performance can carry out their professional duties effectively, consistently, and responsibly. One of the main factors that influences teacher performance is teacher competence; however, competence alone does not always result in optimal performance without adequate work motivation. Therefore, this study aims to examine the role of work motivation in mediating the influence of teacher competence on teacher performance at SMA Negeri 19 Medan. This study uses a quantitative approach using a survey method. The research population consisted of all civil servant teachers at SMA Negeri 19 Medan, totaling 89 teachers, who were selected using a saturated sampling technique. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method with SmartPLS software. The results showed that teacher competence had a positive and significant effect on teacher performance and work motivation. In addition, work motivation had a positive and significant effect on teacher performance. The indirect effect analysis confirmed that work motivation significantly mediated the relationship between teacher competence and teacher performance. The findings indicate that improving teacher performance requires not only improving teacher competence but also strengthening work motivation to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of education.