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The issue of early-career teacher attrition is a pressing concern across a variety of educational settings. Research in predominantly anglophone contexts has shown that rates of foreign language teachers leaving the profession are particularly high. Noting the important role that well-being plays in fostering teacher retention, this study examines factors affecting the well-being of early-career foreign language teachers in the United Kingdom and Austria, and the subsequent possible consequences for their decision to leave or remain in the profession, drawing a comparison across the 2 settings. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 early-career foreign language teachers at secondary schools in Austria (n = 6) and the United Kingdom (n = 8). Inductive data analysis revealed an interplay among intrapersonal, societal, and contextual factors in relation to well-being, which might contribute to shaping participants' decision to remain or leave the profession across the 2 settings. These factors include perfectionism, self-efficacy, work-life spillover, self-regulation, relationships within the school, and foreign language teacher status. Our findings suggest the need for systematic approaches toward improving teacher well-being, not only for surviving in the profession but also for flourishing and thriving in the long term.

This article seeks to explore personal and socio-contextual factors that supported or hindered the wellbeing of 13 late-career language teachers from Austria and the UK. Data were generated through in-depth life-history interviews, and analysed following a Grounded Theory approach (Charmaz, 2006). Findings revealed the interplay of various personal and socio-contextual factors that influenced teachers' wellbeing and willingness to stay in the profession. Findings also showed four different pathways to retirement: Perceived stress and wanting to leave the profession; loved being a teacher but mentally preparing for retirement; busy with work, not thinking about retirement; and, thriving and not planning retirement. • Thirteen late-career teachers from Austria and the UK participated in the study. • Interplay between personal and contextual factors that influence late-career teacher, retention and wellbeing. • Perceived saturation with the profession and changes in the respective countries' educational systems caused stress. • Passion for teaching, sense of meaning, and positive workplace culture supported participants' long-lasting careers. • Findings reveal four pathways to retirement in relation to participants' wellbeing and willingness to stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]