Do Personality Traits Determine Work Engagement? Results From a Belgian Study

Objective: The study aims enhancing insights into the relation between personality and engagement. Methods: Data were collected from 713 Flemish workers. Personality (conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, openness), work characteristics and engagement (including vigor, dedication, and absorption) were assessed using validated questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to investigate the relation between personality traits and engagement. Results: Both conscientiousness and extraversion were positively related to engagement and its three dimensions. Higher levels of neuroticism were related to lower levels of vigor and dedication. No relation was found between agreeableness and engagement nor its dimensions. Openness was negatively related to dedication. Conclusions: These results show that the impact of personality, beside the psychosocial work characteristics, should not be underestimated. Therefore, it is suggested that interventions aiming to increase work engagement should also take into account personality traits.