Abstract:
One of the biggest challenges faced by the modern organizations is
attracting high performing employees to their organizations to obtain
competitive advantage. To get the maximum efforts of the high
performing employees, organizations have to match their competencies
and characteristics with the job as some jobs emphasize certain
qualities more than others. This study attempts to identify the
relationship between big five personality traits and job performance of
middle managerial level employees of a state bank in Sri Lanka. The
sample of the study consists of 80 staff officers of a state bank in Sri
Lanka. The main objective of the study was to identify the relationship
between big five personality traits and job performance. Independent
variable of the study consists of five dimensions; Extraversion,
Neuroticism, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness to
experience. Dependent variable job performance was analyzed under three dimensions, namely; Task Performance, Contextual Performance
and Counterproductive Work Behavior. Data were analyzed by using a
correlation coefficient technique and also regression analysis. To
gather information a structured questionnaire was distributed among
the respondents. As hypothesized, big five personality traits had a
statistically significant, moderate positive relationship with job
performance. Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and
openness to experience had a significant, moderate positive
relationship with job performance supporting to past literature.
Contrary to the hypothesized, neuroticism was found no statistically
significant relationship with job performance. The study provides new
insights into the management of the banking sector, indicating that
personality should be given due consideration in human resource
management practices in their organizations.
