INFLUENCE OF BIG FIVE PERONALITY TRAITS ON WORK PERFORMANCE AMONG EMPLOYEES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES (SMEs) IN GBOKO METROPOLIS

The study investigated the influence of personality traits on work performance among employees of small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMES) in Gboko metropolis. A cross sectional survey design was employed, and participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. A total of 274 employees took part in the study, comprising 170 males and 104 females. Data were collected using the Big five personality inventory (BFI-44) and the individual work performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the research hypotheses. The findings revealed that openness to experience, conscientiousness, and extraversion significantly and independently predicted work performance. In contrast, agreeableness and neuroticism were not significant predictors. Overall, the results indicated a significant joint influence of personality traits on work performance. Based on these findings, it was recommended that SMEs in Gboko metropolis incorporate personality (psychometric) testing into the recruitment process to help identify candidates whose traits align with optimal work performance