Big-Five Personality Traits, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention: A Heuristic Model for Hospital Nurses in Japan

Japanese population is rapidly ageing. Thus, there is an increased demand for nurses in Japan. However, one of the common problems in nursing is a relatively high rate of occupational withdrawal, or turnover. Past studies on personality, work attitudes, and work behaviors, although being profoundly conducted across occupations and cultures, neglected the effects of personal dispositions on turnover. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to integrate the available knowledge into one conceptual framework, by focusing on the five-factor model of personality traits, or the Big-Five, job satisfaction as one of the main work attitudes, and turnover intention, as a direct predecessor of employee withdrawal behavior. Specifically, we attempted to explain plausible direct effects the Big-Five personality traits might have on turnover intention, as well as the mediating role of job satisfaction. A tentative model is proposed and the research implications are discussed. Keywords— Big-Five, job satisfaction, personality traits, turnover intention. ——————————  ——————————