The Relation Between Emotional
Intelligence, The Big Five
Personality Traits, And Job
Performance
Business Research Methods
Seminar Lecturer: Yvette Edelaar
Date: 15/12/2022
,Abstract
Due to societies' declining trust in the financial sector, a study evaluating the contribution of
personality traits and emotional intelligence to job performance benefits society. This study
evaluated the sample population, consisting of corporate relations managers, on personality
and job performance. The experimental group was given emotional intelligence training,
whereafter posttest job performance was measured. Key findings are that there is a positive
relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance. Furthermore, a positive
relationship exists between the variables openness, conscientiousness, extraversion,
agreeableness, and job performance, while there is a negative relation between neuroticism
and job performance.
Keywords: job performance, the Big Five Personality Traits, emotional intelligence
Introduction
“A company’s main goal is usually to generate profits by creating products and
services that it can sell with adequate margins” (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2010), however,
company profits depend on the quality of the employees who are working to deliver those
profits. Therefore it is natural that companies seek new ways of improving the quality of
performance of employees. Employee behavior and performance are based on many different
factors, this study focuses on the Big Five Personality Traits’ and emotional intelligence’s
(EI) impact on job performance. Due to globalization, polarization has hampered the trust
between consumers and companies, indicating a poor relationship. To improve this
relationship between consumers and producers, the employees responsible for maintaining
the relationship should improve performance. Maintaining relationships between people takes
great skill in perceiving, managing and understanding emotions. Thus, could a higher
emotional intelligence improve the job performance of these employees?
Job performance and emotional intelligence
Job performance is defined as the total expected value to the organization of the
discrete behavioral episodes that an individual carries out (Stephan J. Motowidlo). Emotional
intelligence is “the ability to perceive and express emotion, assimilate in thought, understand
and reason with emotion, and regulate emotion in the self and others” (Salovey and Mayer,
1990). It is a vital skill for corporate relations managers, who must understand emotions and
how others feel to manage their job effectively. This research paper aims to test a person’s
emotional intelligence's impact on overall job performance. The previous meta-analysis on
the correlation between job performance and emotional intelligence states that more
2
, emotionally intelligent individuals, who have a better ability to understand and communicate,
performed better in the workplace (Higher-order Factors of the Big Five, 1997).
The Big Five Personality Traits
The second aim of this study is to test whether personality has a relation with job
performance. Personality in this case will be quantified in the five levels of the Big Five
model (Roberts, B, 2017), which defines: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness,
and conscientiousness. Neuroticism refers to the relatively stable tendency to respond with
negative emotions to threat, frustration, or loss (Lahey, B. B. 2009). Neuroticism stands out
from the four other personality traits in the big 5 as it is inversely linked to job performance,
as it is a strong correlate and predictor of many different mental and physical disorders, and is
associated with unreliability.
Secondly, extraversion is a personality trait linked to more positive emotions. For
example, an extrovert enjoys and values close bonds, warmth and affection, leadership roles,
assertion, and the drive to accomplish goals (Depue, R., & Collins, P. 1999). In general, these
individuals understand and share their emotions better, therefore higher extraversion is linked
to higher emotional intelligence.
Openness is seen in the breadth, depth, and permeability of consciousness, and the
ongoing quest for new experiences and ideas (Robert R. McCrae, David M. Greenberg,
2014). This personality trait has been linked with intelligence and divergent thinking (Robert
R. McCrae, David M. Greenberg, 2014) which would be a beneficial trait for individuals
within a firm, as it allows them to ‘think out of the box’ and come up with innovative ideas.
Moreover, agreeableness is a trait referring to individuals described as being ‘kind’,
‘likeable’, ‘considerate’, etc. in terms of their relationship with other individuals (Graziano,
W. G., & Tobin, R. M. 2009). Therefore those who show higher levels of agreeableness
should result in higher job performance as an agreeable worker fits better into a workplace
than one who does not show this trait.
Finally, conscientiousness refers to a trait where individuals have self-control, are
goal-directed and know how to plan effectively (Borman, Walter). In summary, a conscious
worker will show more signs of organization, motivation and responsibility which positively
correlate to higher job performance (Borman, Walter).
3
Intelligence, The Big Five
Personality Traits, And Job
Performance
Business Research Methods
Seminar Lecturer: Yvette Edelaar
Date: 15/12/2022
,Abstract
Due to societies' declining trust in the financial sector, a study evaluating the contribution of
personality traits and emotional intelligence to job performance benefits society. This study
evaluated the sample population, consisting of corporate relations managers, on personality
and job performance. The experimental group was given emotional intelligence training,
whereafter posttest job performance was measured. Key findings are that there is a positive
relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance. Furthermore, a positive
relationship exists between the variables openness, conscientiousness, extraversion,
agreeableness, and job performance, while there is a negative relation between neuroticism
and job performance.
Keywords: job performance, the Big Five Personality Traits, emotional intelligence
Introduction
“A company’s main goal is usually to generate profits by creating products and
services that it can sell with adequate margins” (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2010), however,
company profits depend on the quality of the employees who are working to deliver those
profits. Therefore it is natural that companies seek new ways of improving the quality of
performance of employees. Employee behavior and performance are based on many different
factors, this study focuses on the Big Five Personality Traits’ and emotional intelligence’s
(EI) impact on job performance. Due to globalization, polarization has hampered the trust
between consumers and companies, indicating a poor relationship. To improve this
relationship between consumers and producers, the employees responsible for maintaining
the relationship should improve performance. Maintaining relationships between people takes
great skill in perceiving, managing and understanding emotions. Thus, could a higher
emotional intelligence improve the job performance of these employees?
Job performance and emotional intelligence
Job performance is defined as the total expected value to the organization of the
discrete behavioral episodes that an individual carries out (Stephan J. Motowidlo). Emotional
intelligence is “the ability to perceive and express emotion, assimilate in thought, understand
and reason with emotion, and regulate emotion in the self and others” (Salovey and Mayer,
1990). It is a vital skill for corporate relations managers, who must understand emotions and
how others feel to manage their job effectively. This research paper aims to test a person’s
emotional intelligence's impact on overall job performance. The previous meta-analysis on
the correlation between job performance and emotional intelligence states that more
2
, emotionally intelligent individuals, who have a better ability to understand and communicate,
performed better in the workplace (Higher-order Factors of the Big Five, 1997).
The Big Five Personality Traits
The second aim of this study is to test whether personality has a relation with job
performance. Personality in this case will be quantified in the five levels of the Big Five
model (Roberts, B, 2017), which defines: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness,
and conscientiousness. Neuroticism refers to the relatively stable tendency to respond with
negative emotions to threat, frustration, or loss (Lahey, B. B. 2009). Neuroticism stands out
from the four other personality traits in the big 5 as it is inversely linked to job performance,
as it is a strong correlate and predictor of many different mental and physical disorders, and is
associated with unreliability.
Secondly, extraversion is a personality trait linked to more positive emotions. For
example, an extrovert enjoys and values close bonds, warmth and affection, leadership roles,
assertion, and the drive to accomplish goals (Depue, R., & Collins, P. 1999). In general, these
individuals understand and share their emotions better, therefore higher extraversion is linked
to higher emotional intelligence.
Openness is seen in the breadth, depth, and permeability of consciousness, and the
ongoing quest for new experiences and ideas (Robert R. McCrae, David M. Greenberg,
2014). This personality trait has been linked with intelligence and divergent thinking (Robert
R. McCrae, David M. Greenberg, 2014) which would be a beneficial trait for individuals
within a firm, as it allows them to ‘think out of the box’ and come up with innovative ideas.
Moreover, agreeableness is a trait referring to individuals described as being ‘kind’,
‘likeable’, ‘considerate’, etc. in terms of their relationship with other individuals (Graziano,
W. G., & Tobin, R. M. 2009). Therefore those who show higher levels of agreeableness
should result in higher job performance as an agreeable worker fits better into a workplace
than one who does not show this trait.
Finally, conscientiousness refers to a trait where individuals have self-control, are
goal-directed and know how to plan effectively (Borman, Walter). In summary, a conscious
worker will show more signs of organization, motivation and responsibility which positively
correlate to higher job performance (Borman, Walter).
3
