Personality Characteristics of Staff in the Banks in Jaffna District: Implications for Job Stress and Job Success

Abstract

Personality has been shown to be a good predictor of job-related outcomes when personality traits relevant to a specific profession are considered. As demonstrated by the research conducted by Rawls and Rawls (1968) on business executives, identifying some sort of personality characteristics could offer information about an individual’s suitability to be successful worker. Given the demonstrated correlation between personality and job-related outcomes in variety of other professions, research is necessary to identify the correlation in the banking profession. The aim of the present study is to gain a better understanding of the relationships between the big-five personality traits (extrovertedness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism and openness) and the job-related outcomes (job stress and job success) among individuals in the banking profession. A greater understanding of the relationship between personality variables and job related outcomes would allow for the development of industry-specific recommendations for the selection of personnel and to individually tailor stress management programs. 75 staff working in various banks in Jaffna District were selected as sample in this study. ‘The Big Five’ traits of personality were measured using Goldberg’s (1999b) international personality item Pool (IPIP) and the participants’ stress level were investigated using Cohen et al’s (1983) perceived stress Scale (PSS). Job success was measured by self-rating of perceived success. The study revealed that extrovertedness and conscientiousness were negatively associated with job stress. Neuroticism and openness were positively associated with job stress. For job success, the study revealed xtrovertedness and conscientiousness were positively associated while Neuroticism was negatively associated with perceived job success.