Does personality affect the risk of developing musculoskeletal discomfort?

Personality theory suggests that individuals can react differently to the same situation. The primary objective of this research was to study employees’ personality preferences as they related to manual materials handing jobs. The hypothesis tested was that those whose work preferences did not match the nature of their job requirements would report more psychosocial, physiological or psychological stress and strain compared with those whose personality preferences did match their jobs. A total of 133 employees from two distribution centres completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and other inventories pertaining to their work environments. The results showed that, when employees’ personalities were better matched with the nature of their work environment, they generally reported less anxiety and physical discomfort and more job satisfaction and social support than those having a mismatch. This relationship was more prominent in the less physically demanding jobs, suggesting an interaction between physical workload factors and psychosocial influences. This research suggests that integrating knowledge of one’s personality preferences with the physical and psychosocial demands of a job may increase one’s understanding of the causes of musculoskeletal discomfort in industrial workplaces and aid ergonomists in designing jobs to better match individuals’ capabilities, limitations and work preferences.