RELATIONSHIP OF PERSONALITY TRAITS AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WORK BEHAVIORS: THE MEDIATING EFFECTS OF JOB SATISFACTION

TLDR

The study aimed to test a model linking personality traits to counterproductive work behaviors directly and indirectly via job satisfaction. Path analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect relationships among personality traits, job satisfaction, and counterproductive work behaviors. In a sample of 141 customer‑service employees, the model was largely supported: agreeableness predicted interpersonal CPBs, conscientiousness predicted organizational CPBs, job satisfaction directly related to both CPB types, and job satisfaction partially mediated the link between agreeableness and CPBs.

Abstract

This study used path analysis to test a model that posits that relevant personality traits will have both direct relationships with counterproductive work behaviors (CPBs) and indirect relationships to CPBs through the mediating effects of job satisfaction. Based on a sample ( n = 141) of customer service employees, results generally supported the hypothesized model for both boss‐ and self‐rated CPBs. Agreeableness had a direct relationship with interpersonal counterproductive work behaviors (CPB‐I); Conscientiousness had a direct relationship with organizational counterproductive work behaviors (CPB‐O); and, job satisfaction had a direct relationship to both CPB‐I and CPB‐O. In addition, job satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between Agreeableness and both CPB‐O and CPB‐I. Overall, results show that personality traits differentially predict CPBs and that employees' attitudes about their jobs explain, in part, these personality–behavior associations.