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Personality has been studied broadly within the work context, typically as a long‐term, stable construct, yet a growing body of literature explores personality as short‐term, dynamic states that interact with the workplace. This research, however, is in its infancy, but it has significant implications for how we understand personality in relation to work outcomes. A thorough narrative review is required to take stock of the literature published thus far, to allow cohesive, constructive and meaningful future research. This review assimilates the work to date, which has explored personality dynamics within the work context, from the first studies of the topic around 2010. Using whole trait theory as a theoretical lens, we identify 33 studies through a systematic search, producing a narrative review of the key findings, methods and approaches for investigating personality states. Specifically, findings are reported by personality dimension (extraversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, core self‐evaluations, narcissism and personal initiative) and whether assessed as a state expression or state variability. Directions and considerations for future research are presented.

This article reflects on the publication of the meta-analysis by Jones, Woods and Guillaume (2016) on the effectiveness of workplace coaching in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. The authors look back over ten years of research since the publication and consider the impact of the article and its place in the wider development of the coaching literature during that period. Three key themes are revisited in the discussion of the literature: (1) the need for theoretically informed and grounded research into workplace coaching; (2) development of research designs and outcome specification in studies of coaching effectiveness; (3) evidence-based understanding of the practice of coaching, including the efficacy of different techniques and approaches. Future implications for research into workplace coaching are also explored.

A growing body of literature has established that the workplace is a key context for adulthood personality development, with empirical investigations from both trait research over decades and state research across hours and days supporting the existence of change. However, little is known about the development of personality across the medium term over weeks and months, and the related work factors involved in such development. Grounded in Whole Trait Theory, we describe personality phases as a concept and operationalization of personality between states and traits and examine personal accomplishment alongside the Big Five at both the factor and facet level across a three-month period in a sample of teachers. Using an exploratory analysis model, we analysed correlational, co-developmental, and directional growth relationships. Parallel process growth curve modelling found evidence of co-development between personal accomplishment, Extraversion, and Agreeableness facets. Directional growth relationships were also identified, with baseline productiveness (a facet of Conscientiousness) related to subsequent changes in personal accomplishment, while baseline personal accomplishment was associated with later changes in Conscientiousness, and the associated facet responsibility, as well as trust (a facet of Agreeableness). Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Previous research has examined the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five factors of personality, but trait EI has not yet been mapped empirically to the Abridged Big Five-Dimensional Circumplex (AB5C), a more refined model that represents blends of the Big Five factors. Following the methodology applied by Woods and Anderson in 2016 to construct the Periodic Table of Personality, 26 facets of trait EI were mapped empirically to the AB5C framework (N = 231). The aims of this study were to specify the personality foundations of trait EI more precisely and to explore the conceptual relationship between facets of trait EI and blends of the Big Five personality factors, as represented by the AB5C framework. Results indicated that trait EI facets map most closely to the primary factors of Emotional Stability (r = .38 to 0.74) and Agreeableness (r = .33 to 0.67), in contrast to previous broader meta-analytic studies that demonstrated global trait EI maps more strongly to Extraversion than Agreeableness. Several sectors of the personality framework were more heavily populated by trait EI facets, notably the blend of Emotional Stability and Conscientiousness. Some sectors of the framework under represented by personality inventories, such as the blend of Agreeableness and Openness, were mapped by trait EI facets. More broadly, our findings contribute to the literature on the conceptual and criterion utility of trait EI alongside broad personality dimensions, and act as a template and catalyst for future similar studies and cross-comparison with other trait EI measures.

In recent years, research on extreme contexts has expanded significantly, focusing on management practices in unusual or atypical work environments. However, individual behavioural responses in these settings have received less attention. Our study addresses this gap by using Job-Demand Resources (JD-R) theory to explore how extreme context exposure (i.e., frequent exposure to extreme events) influences counterproductive work behaviour towards the organisation (CWB-O) in high-risk contexts of aviation and shipping. In Study 1, based on data from 297 flight cadre, we found that extreme context exposure is positively linked to CWB-O, with exhaustion linking the two variables. Study 2 replicated these findings with data from 309 seafarers, reinforcing the robustness of our results. Additionally, we identified authentic leadership and spirituality as key job and personal resources that moderate this relationship, reducing the impact of extreme context exposure on CWB-O. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our findings, emphasising the importance of addressing individual behaviours in extreme work environments.

This article presents a critical review of the use of cognitive ability testing for access to graduate and higher professional occupations to promote further debate and reflection in both the academic and practitioner community. The main contentions are that the practice of applying cognitive ability testing in these contexts has strong potential to both maintain and exacerbate social inequality in access to higher occupations and professions, and that validity evidence does not justify this to the extent that has previously been presumed. Five critical observations are examined, namely (1) evidence of adverse impact in test outcomes; (2) the tendency to position cognitive ability testing early in selection processes in high-volume recruitment; (3) recent evidence challenging the meta-analytic validity of cognitive ability tests; (4) weaknesses in historical primary validity studies; (5) conceptually flawed examination of differential validity evidence in the literature. Implications for practice are discussed, contrasting strategies that involve modifying selection systems that include cognitive testing, versus removing and replacing cognitive tests.

PurposeA specific area of interest in the coaching literature is focused on exploring the intersection of personality and coaching; however, research has yet to explore whether coaching exerts reciprocal effects on personality traits (i.e. if personality trait change can accompany coaching). Utilizing the explanatory theoretical framing of the Demands-Affordances TrAnsactional framework (Woods et al., 2019), we propose that coaching may indirectly facilitate personality trait change by firstly enabling the coachee to reflect on their behaviors, second, implement desired behavioral changes which consequently facilitate personality trait change.Design/methodology/approachA quasi-experiment was conducted to explore coaching and personality trait change. Students participating in a demanding, work-based team simulation (N = 258), were assigned to either an intervention group (and received one-to-one coaching) or a control group (who received no intervention). Personality traits were measured before and after coaching and positioned as the dependent variable.FindingsResults indicate that participants in the coaching group exhibited significant changes in self-reported agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion and core self-evaluations, which all significantly decreased after coaching; however, no change was observed for the control group.Originality/valueWe provide the first exploration of coaching and personality trait change, contributing to both the coaching literature, by providing evidence regarding the efficacy of coaching to facilitate personality trait change in coachees, and the personality literature, by highlighting coaching as an important tool for those interested in personality trait change. Our research also has implications for other interventions such as mentoring, as we provide support for the notion that interventions can support personality trait change.

This study examines potential negative human resource consequences of leadership development. Applying theoretical perspectives on job demands and resources, we argue that leadership development may result in potential negative outcomes by introducing new and different demands on workers, requiring adjustment and adaptation. We further argue that the pervasiveness of this risk increases as leadership training is distributed across an organisation. We examine the effects of the implementation of a leadership development programme across a whole organisation (N = 9471), analysing data on incidences of withdrawal (absenteeism) and conflict (formal grievances) over a four-year period. We analyse data using fixed-effects modelling, and our findings indicated that increases in the proportions of leaders undertaking development in nineteen service units of the organisation over this period predicted increases in absenteeism and grievances raised by staff. Implications for theory in leadership development, and the management of development initiatives are discussed.

Studies of personality at work have made significant contributions to theory and applied practice in work and organizational settings. This review article proposes that there are also reciprocal influences between core personality science and research on personality in work and organizations, each drawing on insights from the other. Following this tradition, the objective of this article is to review key foundations of research in a way that informs and critically reflects on state-of-the-art evidence in four main themes: (1) conceptualization and structure of personality at work, (2) personality assessment in work settings, (3) personality processes and dynamics at work, and (4) impact of situations on personaliy at work. Critically reflections on key implications, and directions for future research are presented, anticipating how the field may adapt to the changing nature of work and society. Relevance Statement The objective of this review is to set out key tenets and foundations of research in the area of personality at work in a way that informs and critically reflects on its development, and continued contributions to core personality science. Combining input from twelve researchers in the field, the article proposes that the development of research in personality science and in the area of personality in work and organizational settings is interdependent, each drawing reciprocally on insights from the other. We aim to review key findings in well-established literatures around the conceptualisation of personality and its role in assessment at work. However, our review also presents contemporary developments examining personality dynamics and the role of situations that are advancing understanding in the literature. This positioning leads us to set out future research questions and directions, which we believe are relevant for scholars shaping and contributing to this area in the coming years, reflecting changes to work and its place in society. Key Insights Core personality science and research into personality in work settings influence each other reciprocally through their development. Personality has been found to be important for understanding a wide array of organizational behaviors and outcomes. Recent developments examining personality dynamics and situations at work are challenging and advancing research findings. Studies of personality at work should continue to bridge different disciplines of research, responding to changes to work and its place in society.

This study examined self-leadership, an integrative concept in organisational behaviour and psychology, that represents a person's ability to manage themselves and improve their own performance through a combination of behavioural, cognitive and motivational strategies, in the context of learning and development outcomes. Change in three aspects of self-leadership (termed the Doing-self, Thinking-self and Energising-self) following a short development intervention was examined in a sample of management school students in a pre-intervention and postintervention design. The study also expanded upon the role of personality traits in moderating self-leadership change. The data additionally provide evidence of the association of self-leadership with learning attainment. The findings of this study underline the potential benefits of self-leadership learning and development. Implications for theory and practice in organisations are discussed.