Examining personality—Job characteristic interactions in explaining work outcomes

Abstract Although research suggests personality traits and job characteristics are each important drivers of work outcomes, there has been little focus on potential interactions between the two. In the current studies, we integrate the theory of purposeful work behavior with the job demands-resources model to examine how five-factor model personality traits interact with job resources and challenging job demands in explaining employee motivation and performance. We tested our hypotheses in two studies with different sample types and utilized item response theory scoring. Results across the studies were mixed, but generally support that there are important interactive effects between certain traits and contextual factors in explaining work behavior. Implications for theory and practice and future directions are discussed.