Thriving under adversity : the role of the Big Five in predicting thriving in the workplace

Abstract

Using a correlational design, the aim of this study was first, to establish whether task focus, heedful relating and exploration predicted employee thriving under adversity and second, to ascertain whether these three agentic behaviours mediated the relationship between Big Five traits and thriving. A purposive sample of one hundred and twelve students, who met the inclusion criteria of been engaged in full time employment and have faced a workplace adversity within the last three to six months, completed questionnaires measuring agentic behaviours, thriving and personality traits. Parametric analyses confirmed that conscientiousness, emotional stability and extraversion significantly predicted thriving. Task focus and heedful relating emerged as mediating variables between conscientiousness, neuroticism and thriving. No mediating role was observed between these agentic behaviours and other traits. Exploration was not a predictor of thriving and had little mediating influence on the relationship between traits and thriving. Author keywords: Thriving, adversity, traits