Evolutionary benefits of personality traits when facing workplace bullying

Facing workplace bullying negatively affects physical and mental health, and consequently quality of life and well-being. Personality traits that can help an individual survive and reproduce entail more benefits than costs. Building on two evolutionary theories, Life History Theory and Costly Signaling Theory, this study aims to provide novel insights into how and why personality traits are associated with facing workplace bullying and health-related quality of life. A heterogeneous group of 324 employees in Sweden provided data on workplace bullying, perceived health-related quality of life, and personality traits, controlling for sex and age. We found that openness (HEXACO model) and Machiavellianism (Dark Triad model) served as moderators. Employees with high values of these traits experienced significantly less affected health-related quality of life when facing workplace bullying. Our results indicate evolutionary origins of the personality traits openness and Machiavellianism. A new finding is that possessing, exhibiting, and maintaining traits reflecting a more creative and competitive interpersonal style increases an employee?s ability to survive aversive environments.