Studies of teacher satisfaction and workplace conditions generally have focused on the level of the profession or the school site, not on the smaller units within a school or the variations of the work environment within them. This study addresses three limitations of previous research. First, it introduces a theoretical perspective on the balance/imbalance between demands and rewards. Second, it examines within-school variations in workplace conditions and their consequences for teachers. Third, it identifies a range of teacher responses to dissatisfaction, short of actual departure. The research design centered on case studies of four departments (English, mathematics, science, and business) within one high school. The sources of information for the study included observations, document analysis, and in-depth interviews of teachers, department heads, the principal, and the vice-principal of instruction. Findings suggest that when contributions begin to outweigh inducements, teachers take steps to reduce excessive demands; they make choices that affect both themselves and their students, often running counter to their own judgments of what makes an effective teacher. Unfavorable working conditions lead teachers to believe that their contributions are excessive, the ability to promote student growth limited, and psychic rewards unsatisfactory. (LL)