Well-being at work: The interconnection between personality, motivation and health

Abstract: Research links motivation to well-being and personality. There have also been studies regarding the connection between personality and health. In one scientific study, certain personality traits and greater motivation predicted high levels of well-being, but greater motivation also predicted lower well-being when the individual had a high tendency to worry and pessimism. In order to help organisations to motivate employees and avoid burnout, a need exists to establish a deeper understanding of how employees’ personality can alter how their motivation subsequently affects health. As such, the study aims to examine the possible moderation of personality on the motivation and well-being relationship. The study consisted of 151 individuals in employment (20-72 years of age) recruited through LinkedIn and company networks, who fulfilled the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey, the 60-item Temperament and Character Inventory, Public Health Surveillance Well-Being Scale and Situational Motivation Scale. The correlations confirmed the research questions and hypotheses that motivation and personality are respectively correlated with well-being and burnout, and motivation itself is linked with personality. The results of the multiple regression models showed limited support for the hypothesis of moderation. However, the analysis demonstrated that Persistence increased the positive effect that Intrinsic motivation had on Professional Efficacy. Practical implications would be to adjust the individuals’ work after interests and values as well as to increase persistence in the workforce in order for this to increase the employees’ belief in their own competence, and hence, their health and productivity.