Job Performance in Digital Work: Do Personality Traits Matter?

Abstract

This paper investigates whether personality traits matter in job performance in digital work. A conceptual model is developed within the background of the big five personality traits theory and the boundary theory. This model is then tested and validated using structural equation modeling of the survey data in Australia. The study shows that agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion significantly influence job performance while neuroticism and conscientiousness have significant influence on work-life balance. It finds that individuals’ attitude toward digital work negatively moderates the influence of agreeableness on work-life balance and the impact of conscientiousness on job performance. The study reveals that work-life balance has a significant and direct influence on job performance. This study extends existing research on the relationship between job performance, work-life balance, and personality traits and enhances the knowledge of the interplay between digital technologies and individuals in digital work.