Linking Playfulness and Job Performance in the Workplace:Mediating Role of Working-Smart/Hard

• Main Authors: YING-TZU LIN, 林瑩滋
• Other Authors: I-Heng Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/30155693488844525157

博士 === 國立中山大學 === 人力資源管理研究所 === 99 === Organizations nowadays want employees who are flexible, adaptable, autonomous, creative, willing to learn, self-motivated, and able to fit productively into teams to satisfy instable and varied consumer demands. Consequently, job performance no more relies on repetitive and routine tasks which traditionally could be completed and improved by working-hard only. Nevertheless, the economy in the world is becoming dynamic, rapid and unpredictable for sure. Transparently workers will need to unceasingly increase their skill base to experience workplace success in the future. Therefore, management scholars suggest organizations who want to survive or outperform of the time may need to consider traits in addition of conscientiousness when making hiring decisions. The Big Five undoubtedly provides the general and basic consideration of personality. As the environment nowadays changes, not only the Big Five but also more advanced and specific personality constructs for advantageous solutions hitting the mark are needed. Playfulness, defined as a multidimensional personality with curiosity, absorption, sense of humor, manifest joy and childlikeness factors, may be one promising personality which replies the call from the academic and plays as the alternative selection assessment tool for selection to the practical simultaneously. Playfulness has been emphasized in child development, education, and clinical counseling fields for a long time. This personality fosters optimal human function and accompanies intrinsic motivation according to developmental psychology and positive psychology perspectives. Notwithstanding its importance, playfulness in adults does not catch enough attention of the academic. This study first empirically tests relationship between playfulness and job performance (in-role performance, creative performance) and clarifies the discrepancy of style effects on different dimensions of performance which may better explain the phenomena in the workplace. Second, this study moves a step forward to propose a personality construct from developmental psychology triangle especially favorable to selection consideration. Third, through the lens of working behavior style, the results of this study also better explain the mechanism link playfulness and performance that throw light on training direction for people in organizations already. By defining working-smart/hard as behavioral style instead of ability and motivation, this study opens a new avenue for research to discuss the issue thoroughly. Future research suggestions and practical applications are also provided.