Prediction of Job Performance throgh Weighted Personality Traits: Hierarchical analysis Method

Research regarding the influence of personality traits on job performance has been largely based on correlation analysis and has explained job performance changes based on each personality trait. If job assignment is done in such a way that the dispersion of one personality factor is low, performance changes are largely explained by other factors, while that factor may play an important role. The purpose of this study was to develop a model that can explain the role of personality factors in job performance and not only rely on data collected from employees.

Analytical Hierarchy Process explains the effect of each factor on performance based on expert opinion. The expert via pairwise comparisons expresses the preference of each personality factor over others, that is the comparison of each factor to another pairwise. The weight of each factor is then determined by hierarchical analysis. In the same way, the role of personality is determined in comparison with expertise and experience. Thus, an equation for job performance is developed taking into account personality traits. This procedure was performed for the employees of Khayyam University. To test the model, education, financial, and student departments vice presidents were selected as experts. Using the hierarchical analysis model and Expert Choice software, the weight of each factor regarding the job performance was calculated.  

The weights calculated by using software were acceptable due to the low incompatibility rate. In the education office, weights of responsibility, 0.51, agreeableness, 0.21, openness to experience, 0.04, extraversion 0.05, neuroticism, 0.16; in finance department, responsibility, 0.62, agreeableness, 0.20, openness to experience, 0.10, extraversion 0.05, and neuroticism 0.03, and in student affairs office, responsibility, 0.52, agreeableness, 0.14, openness to experience, 0.24, extraversion 0.04 and neuroticism, 0.06, were obtained in all three studied departments. Responsibility showed the greatest role in explaining job performance. The performance calculated with the equations developed by the model showed a significant correlation with the actual job performance based on the Spearman correlation test. In other words, the results of the neo-test and their placement in the equations led to job performance prediction that was correlated with actual performance, which means that the model is validated.  

In addition to the regression method, the hierarchical analysis method can be used to explain the role of personality factors regarding job performance. In this study, the weight of the effect of personality factors on performance was calculated by hierarchical analysis.