Volume 24, Issue 92 (5-2024)
refahj 2024, 24(92): 319-344 |
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Sazegar A, Kadkhoda H, Hashemizadeh Nahi N. (2024). Investigating the Relationship between Personality Traits of Managers, Job Satisfaction, and Mental Health among the Employees of the Social Welfare Organization Branch in Khorasan Razavi. refahj. 24(92), : 9 doi:10.32598/refahj.24.92.4321.1
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4192-en.html
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4192-en.html
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Introduction
The importance of human resources in modern organizations is increasing. Employees’ performance and job quality depend not only on their competencies but also on job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is the level of contentment employees feel with their job and affects their individual, social, and organizational life while playing a vital role in mental and physical health. A person’s mental health can also affect their physical health. Maintaining good mental health is crucial for the employees of the organization and its progress (Judge et al., 2020). Demari et al. (2019) examined the mental health of employees working in Iran’s manufacturing industries and reported that the prevalence of psychological disorders in Iran’s working community is estimated between 35.4 and 61.5 percent.
The role of managers is crucial in investigating the factors affecting employees’ job satisfaction and mental health. The personality characteristics of managers can be the basis of their employees’ behavioral systems (Kiarie et al., 2017). Research showed that the personality traits of managers play a significant role in the working environment and organizational climate (Sinclair and Cheung, 2017).
Therefore, according to what was mentioned earlier, the role of managers in the organizational environment cannot be ignored. Moreover, by considering the effect of mental disorders on employees’ productivity and job satisfaction, the present study sought to answer the following research question:
Is there a relationship between managers’ personality traits and employees’ job satisfaction and mental health? If yes, which personality traits play a role in employees’ job satisfaction and mental health?
Method
This is a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population consisted of 32 managers and 1127 employees working at Welfare Directorate General of Khorasan Razavi province in May 2022. The sample was selected using stratified random sampling method and included 24 managers and 132 employees selected from managers and employees working at Welfare departments of some cities of Khorasan Razavi province. Personality trait questionnaire (Neo-FFI), job satisfaction questionnaire (JDI), and mental health questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used to collect data.
Findings
Based on demographic information, most managers and their employees aged 30 to 50.
Gender was somehow equal among managers, but there were more women among employees.
The results of correlation analysis showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between job satisfaction and flexibility (r = 0.54, p < 0.01), agreeableness and adaptability (r = 0.31, p < 0.01), and conscientiousness (r = 0.26)., p < 0.01) while there is a negative and significant relationship between mental health and neuroticism (r = -0.55, p < 0.01). It also showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between employees’ mental health and flexibility (r = -0.42, p <0.01), agreeableness and adaptability (r = -0.34, p < 0.01), and conscientiousness (r = -0.28, p <0.01) while there is a negative and significant relationship between employees’ mental health and neuroticism (r = 0.41, p< 0.01). The results of the regression analysis of personality traits of managers on job satisfaction and mental health of employees is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: The results from regression analysis on personality traits of managers on job satisfaction and mental health of employees.
The results of Table 1 showed that managers’ neuroticism (β = 0.29, p<0.05) and openness to experience (β = 0.39, p<0.05) were a predictors of employees’ job satisfaction. Openness to experience (β = -0.32, p<0.05) and agreeableness and adaptability (β = -0.19, p<0.05) of managers were also predictors of employees’ mental health.
Discussion
The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the personality traits of managers and the job satisfaction and mental health of the employees working at the Welfare Directorate General of Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. Managers play a vital role in creating a positive working environment (Kozak, 2014). According to the research, job dissatisfaction is often observed in working environments where employees do not receive much support from managers (Maslach & Leiter, 2008).
From the organizational psychology point of view, it is worth mentioning that employees possibly influence each other based on their desires and motivations in the working environment (Truxillo, Bauer, & Erdogan, 2015). Managers play one of the most prominent roles in the workplace, as they expect behavioral patterns from employees according to their personality traits and work goals. Regarding managers’ neuroticism, a study by De Hoogh and Den Hartog (2009) found that managers’ neuroticism is the cause of employee burnout.
There is one limitation in the current study, and that is the generalization of its results to other provinces and organizations should be made with caution, as it was conducted only in Mashhad and in the Welfare Directorate General of Khorasan Razavi. According to the results of the present study, it is suggested that occupational and organizational experts develop programs for positive personality traits such as flexibility and adaptability for managers and employees.
Ethical considerations
Authors’ contributions
All authors contributed in producing of the research.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Conflict of interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Following the research ethics
In the present study, all ethical considerations, including trustworthiness, honesty, and non-plagiarism, have been reserved.
The importance of human resources in modern organizations is increasing. Employees’ performance and job quality depend not only on their competencies but also on job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is the level of contentment employees feel with their job and affects their individual, social, and organizational life while playing a vital role in mental and physical health. A person’s mental health can also affect their physical health. Maintaining good mental health is crucial for the employees of the organization and its progress (Judge et al., 2020). Demari et al. (2019) examined the mental health of employees working in Iran’s manufacturing industries and reported that the prevalence of psychological disorders in Iran’s working community is estimated between 35.4 and 61.5 percent.
The role of managers is crucial in investigating the factors affecting employees’ job satisfaction and mental health. The personality characteristics of managers can be the basis of their employees’ behavioral systems (Kiarie et al., 2017). Research showed that the personality traits of managers play a significant role in the working environment and organizational climate (Sinclair and Cheung, 2017).
Therefore, according to what was mentioned earlier, the role of managers in the organizational environment cannot be ignored. Moreover, by considering the effect of mental disorders on employees’ productivity and job satisfaction, the present study sought to answer the following research question:
Is there a relationship between managers’ personality traits and employees’ job satisfaction and mental health? If yes, which personality traits play a role in employees’ job satisfaction and mental health?
Method
This is a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population consisted of 32 managers and 1127 employees working at Welfare Directorate General of Khorasan Razavi province in May 2022. The sample was selected using stratified random sampling method and included 24 managers and 132 employees selected from managers and employees working at Welfare departments of some cities of Khorasan Razavi province. Personality trait questionnaire (Neo-FFI), job satisfaction questionnaire (JDI), and mental health questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used to collect data.
Findings
Based on demographic information, most managers and their employees aged 30 to 50.
Gender was somehow equal among managers, but there were more women among employees.
The results of correlation analysis showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between job satisfaction and flexibility (r = 0.54, p < 0.01), agreeableness and adaptability (r = 0.31, p < 0.01), and conscientiousness (r = 0.26)., p < 0.01) while there is a negative and significant relationship between mental health and neuroticism (r = -0.55, p < 0.01). It also showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between employees’ mental health and flexibility (r = -0.42, p <0.01), agreeableness and adaptability (r = -0.34, p < 0.01), and conscientiousness (r = -0.28, p <0.01) while there is a negative and significant relationship between employees’ mental health and neuroticism (r = 0.41, p< 0.01). The results of the regression analysis of personality traits of managers on job satisfaction and mental health of employees is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: The results from regression analysis on personality traits of managers on job satisfaction and mental health of employees.
| Criterion variable | Predictor variables | B | Std.error | Beta | t | p | R | R2 | F | p |
| Job Satisfaction | Constant Coefficient | 84/76 | 59/76 | −− | 1/28 | 0/20 | 0/64 | 0/41 | 17/84 | 0/001 |
| Neuroticism | -1/71 | 0/62 | -0/29 | -2/74 | 0/007 | |||||
| Extraversion | 0/62 | 0/40 | 0/11 | 1/53 | 0/12 | |||||
| Openness to Experience | 2/48 | 0/55 | 0/39 | 4/48 | 0/001 | |||||
| Agreeableness and Adaptability | 0/80 | 0/53 | 0/12 | 1/48 | 0/14 | |||||
| Conscientiousness | -19/0 | 0/44 | -0/3 | -0/42 | 0/67 | |||||
| Mental Health | Constant Coefficient | 88/98 | 30/68 | −− | 2/90 | 0/004 | 0/51 | 0/26 | 9/12 | 0/001 |
| Neuroticism | 0/32 | 0/32 | 0/12 | 1/01 | 0/31 | |||||
| Extraversion | -0/13 | 0/20 | -0/05 | -0/64 | 0/52 | |||||
| Openness to Experience | -0/92 | 0/28 | -0/32 | -3/25 | 0/001 | |||||
| Agreeableness and Adaptability | -0/56 | 0/27 | -0/19 | -2/03 | 0/04 | |||||
| Conscientiousness | -0/10 | 0/22 | -0/4 | -0/47 | 0/63 |
The results of Table 1 showed that managers’ neuroticism (β = 0.29, p<0.05) and openness to experience (β = 0.39, p<0.05) were a predictors of employees’ job satisfaction. Openness to experience (β = -0.32, p<0.05) and agreeableness and adaptability (β = -0.19, p<0.05) of managers were also predictors of employees’ mental health.
Discussion
The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the personality traits of managers and the job satisfaction and mental health of the employees working at the Welfare Directorate General of Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. Managers play a vital role in creating a positive working environment (Kozak, 2014). According to the research, job dissatisfaction is often observed in working environments where employees do not receive much support from managers (Maslach & Leiter, 2008).
From the organizational psychology point of view, it is worth mentioning that employees possibly influence each other based on their desires and motivations in the working environment (Truxillo, Bauer, & Erdogan, 2015). Managers play one of the most prominent roles in the workplace, as they expect behavioral patterns from employees according to their personality traits and work goals. Regarding managers’ neuroticism, a study by De Hoogh and Den Hartog (2009) found that managers’ neuroticism is the cause of employee burnout.
There is one limitation in the current study, and that is the generalization of its results to other provinces and organizations should be made with caution, as it was conducted only in Mashhad and in the Welfare Directorate General of Khorasan Razavi. According to the results of the present study, it is suggested that occupational and organizational experts develop programs for positive personality traits such as flexibility and adaptability for managers and employees.
Ethical considerations
Authors’ contributions
All authors contributed in producing of the research.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Conflict of interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Following the research ethics
In the present study, all ethical considerations, including trustworthiness, honesty, and non-plagiarism, have been reserved.
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2023/04/2 | Accepted: 2023/11/11 | Published: 2024/05/3
Received: 2023/04/2 | Accepted: 2023/11/11 | Published: 2024/05/3
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Social Welfare Quarterly
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