Content area
The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between followers’ Big Five Personality (Big 5) and the perceived Leader-Member Relationship Quality (LMX) and follower Burnout after controlling for age, gender, hours worked weekly, organizational tenure, industry, ethnicity, and leadership status. A sample of convenience was utilized with a total of 322 surveys collected; 258 surveys were completed (N = 258, Mage = 44.12). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, Big Five Personality was rated using the Mini International Personality Item Pool (Mini-IPIP), and the perceived quality of their relationship with their current supervisor was measured by the Leader-Member Exchange Questionnaire (LMX-7). Respondents also completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) to self-rate Burnout dimensions of Emotional Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Professional Efficacy. In research area 1, a multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine if a relationship between a follower’s Big Five Personality could be predictors for Burnout after controlling for followers’ Age, Gender, Hours Worked Weekly, Organizational Tenure, Industry, Ethnicity, and Leadership Status. Research area 2 used multiple regression analysis to further investigate the extent to which the perceived Leader-Member Relationship Quality with one’s supervisor could predict follower Burnout after controlling for followers’ Age, Gender, Hours Worked Weekly, Organizational Tenure, Industry, Ethnicity, Leadership Status And Big Five Personality. Overall findings revealed a significant correlation between Big Five Personality, Leader-Member Relationship Quality and Burnout. Hours Worked Weekly was a predictor of Emotional Exhaustion with 4.10% of the variance explained; significance was not found for any other Burnout construct. Age was a negative predictor of Emotional Exhaustion and Professional Efficacy where the older a participant was the less Emotion Exhaustion and was self-reported and they less confident a follower reported their confidence in their Professional Efficacy. Age was also a predictor of Cynicism, where the older a participant was the more Cynicism they self-reported. Extraversion was a predictor of Emotional Exhaustion accounting for an additional 3.0% of the variance explained as Extraversion increased reported Emotional Exhaustion decreased. The correlation between Extraversion and Cynicism was positive accounting for an additional 5.5% of the variance explained. While the relationship with Extraversion and Professional Efficacy was negative, explaining an additional 3.4% of the variance. Neuroticism was a predictor of Emotional Exhaustion, explaining 12.2% of the additional variance meaning that the more extraverted a respondent the more Emotional Exhaustion was self-reported. Neuroticism showed a negative association with Cynicism, acting a buffer against this Burnout Subset. More Neurotic respondents reported more confidence regarding their Professional Efficacy, making Neuroticism a buffer against this burnout subset responsible for 7.9% of the additional variance explained. LMX Relationship Quality was a negative predictor of Emotional Exhaustion, accounting for 8.0% of the additional variance explained. While a positive relationship was found between LMX Relationship Quality and Cynicism. LMX Relationship Quality had the association with Professional Efficacy accounting for 13.9% of the additional variance explained; with the higher the Quality of the LMX relationship the more doubt followers had in their professional abilities and accomplishments.