Introduction
The increasing level of competition in different industries compels companies to hire competent employees who can deliver positive results within the stipulated time. Successful corporations are usually associated with workers who possess skills and competencies that can result in improved performance. The effectiveness of individuals depends on their unique personality traits. This means that some people will find it easier to complete specific tasks in accordance with their traits. Employees who lack adequate personality traits will record numerous problems and eventually disorient the efficiency of the targeted company. This research paper uses evidence-based findings and arguments to explore the impact of personality on employee success.
Problem Definition
Camps, Stouten, and Euwema (2016) observed that many firms were hiring competent employees based on a number of aspects such as academic qualifications, past job experiences, and possession of advanced courses or skills. People who possess certain competencies will find it easier to complete various tasks, address emerging problems, and make superior decisions that can result in improved business performance. Many leaders and managers in organizations have gone further to apply appropriate models to empower their followers, provide adequate resources, and promote the concept of teamwork.
With these aspects in place, a number of business organizations have not been able to record positive results. A study by Ghani, Yunus, and Bahry (2015) revealed that organizational theorists had ignored the role or significance of personality traits in predicting the level of job performance. This is the case because the focus has always been on the issue of leadership in promoting business effectiveness. Although a few studies have revolved around the importance of personality traits within the working environment, adequate information is unavailable to support the models used by human resources (HR) leaders and business managers. This gap explains why new studies are needed to guide entrepreneurs, business leaders, and employees.
Research Question
The question presented below will be used to guide this study. The research will be aimed at presenting meaningful insights and ideas that can be implemented in corporations to improve performance, increase competitiveness, and maximize profits. Such insights can also be embraced by individuals who want to emerge successful in their careers and workplaces.
How does your personality affect or influence your performance in the workplace?
Findings: Personality Traits and Employee Success
Human beings usually come from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Consequently, they will develop unique personality traits that will eventually dictate their engagements, competencies, and willingness to complete certain roles. The Big Five model is used to analyze and examine how a person’s traits can influence his or her effectiveness in a particular job or task. The first trait is known as neuroticism and is associated with fear, anger, disgust, shame, and guilt.
Employees who have this kind of personality will have increased levels of nervousness and feelings of self-pity. Mayende and Musenze (2014) indicate that these attributes inhibit the accomplishment and performance of various tasks. A person who has these traits will tend to develop negative attitudes to different activities, become less optimistic, and record reduced confidence levels.
The second trait is known as extraversion. It focuses on a person’s self-assurance level, energy, and/or assertiveness. Individuals who are extroverted will usually be social, talkative, and capable of establishing teams in their workplaces. Teamwork will also emerge in such environments. They will communicate freely with others and address emerging conflicts. The desire to interact with others will result in excitement and improved job performance.
The next personality feature is openness. It refers to the ability to acquire new concepts and skills (Ghani et al., 2015). It is also related to a person’s capability to interact with others and develop superior attributes. Employees who are open to emerging experiences and ideas will find it easier to deal with conflicts. This means that such individuals have increased chances of recording positive job performance.
Conscientiousness is another powerful personality trait that has been observed to influence the behaviors and effectiveness of individuals whenever pursuing specific tasks. This attribute focuses on aspects such as dutifulness, self-discipline, and desire to emerge successfully. Employees who possess this trait will be willing and ready to achieve their goals. They will endure suffering but complete their tasks efficiently. Mayende and Musenze (2014) believe that employees who are conscientious will be willing to pursue complex roles and remain disciplined until positive results are recorded. On the other hand, individuals who lack this attribute might become bored with complex or demanding duties. The end result is that they will quit and affect every targeted objective.
Agreeableness is another powerful personality feature that has attracted the attention of many scholars in the field of organizational management. Ghani et al. (2015) indicate that the trait can be used as a powerful predictor of job performance in a wide range of working environments. According to Mayende and Musenze (2014), agreeableness revolves around a person’s ability to be compliant, caring, cooperative, warm, and altruistic.
Employees who possess these attributes will be willing to stay with their workmates and organizations until positive goals are recorded. They will also be willing to interact with other people and deliver positive results. The concept has also been observed to encourage individuals to focus on new skills and competencies that can support career development. The individuals will also work hard in order to emerge successfully.
From this analysis, it is quite clear that people who lack most of these personalities will not be in a position to function efficiently in their working environments. This happens to be the case because those who lack patience and are unable to engage others will not achieve a lot for their companies. Self-employed persons will find it hard to pursue their career goals when they cannot relate positively with their colleagues or business partners (Camps et al., 2016). The discussion has also linked neuroticism to negative performance. Individuals who possess this trait will not interact with others positively or pursue attainable goals.
Problem and Solution
The current situation in many organizations is that human resources (HR) managers hire employees who are qualified and possess superior competencies. Unfortunately, the approach has led to negative business outcomes since most of the leadership attributes put in place have failed to deliver positive results. This gap has been catalyzed by the fact that many companies have ignored the relevance of personality traits as crucial predictors of job performance (Camps et al., 2016). Employees who possess desirable personality traits such as agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to emerging experiences, and extroversion will be creative, collaborative, and capable of maximizing organizational performance. This means that people who have such attributes will succeed in their working environments.
It would, therefore, be relevant for HR managers and organizational managers to be keen on personality traits possessed by their workers. Ghani et al. (2015) argue that individuals possessing diverse features can be empowered and supported using appropriate models. Additionally, tasks and roles can be assigned in accordance with the personality traits of different workers. The important goal is to ensure that every employee is supported and provided with adequate resources that can ensure that positive results are recorded. Similarly, leaders who have different personality traits can be identified in order to minimize most of the obstacles that might arise in the working environment.
Individuals can go further to examine the nature of these traits and identify the ones that can be developed within a short period (Mayende & Musenze, 2014). This move will make it easier for more employees to become efficient, address emerging challenges, engage others, and focus on the intended business objectives. The strategy will ensure that many companies become successful and competitive in their sectors.
Conclusion
Many companies and corporations fail to achieve their potential because they hire employees without addressing the issues associated with personality traits. More often than not, firms manage to recruit workers who possess desirable attributes and personalities that are relevant and capable of promoting performance. Unfortunately, those who lack appropriate traits will not achieve their potential. Consequently, they will make it impossible for their corporations to emerging successful.
Leaders and HR managers should, therefore, identify and hire individuals who possess positive traits such as agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion in order to maximize business performance. Appropriate models can also be designed and put in place to empower employees to improve their personality traits and achieve their career goals.
References
Camps, J., Stouten, J., & Euwema, M. (2016). The relation between supervisors’ big five personality traits and employees’ experiences of abusive supervision. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(112), 1-11. Web.
Ghani, N. M., Yunus, N. S., & Bahry, N. S. (2015). Leader’s personality traits and employees job performance in public sector, Putrajaya. Procedia Economics and Finance, 37, 46-51. Web.
Mayende, T. S., & Musenze, I. A. (2014). Personality dimensions and job turnover intentions: Findings from a university context. International Journal of Management and Business Research, 4(2), 153-164.