Relationship between works related psychological basic needs, personality characteristics and work engagement

Two factors effect on work engagement; work environmental factors and individual factors. Assessing these factors in educational organization would be useful in improvement educational managers'' performance.

The aim was assessing the relationship between work related psychological basic needs، personality characteristics and work engagement among staff in Islamic Azad University branch of Najaf Abad. Method and Material: This correlational –descriptive study was done in (2012-2013) that (125) staff who worked in Islamic Azad University branch of Najaf Abad. They were selected randomly by cluster sampling method. Staff were completed The Work-Related Basic Need Satisfaction scale (Van den Broeck، 2010)، Neo Personality Scale (Costa and MacCrae، 1991) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (Schaufeli، 2003). For all questionnaires internal consistency reliability (Cronbsch’salpha) were in range (α=0. 80 to α=0. 92). Data were analyzed through the use of correlation coefficient statistical test and multiple regression analysis by using SPSS 21 software.

Findings showed that work related psychological basic needs and extroversion are positively and significantly related to work engagement and its dimensions (P< 0. 001). There was a negative and significantly relationship between neuroticism and work engagement and its dimensions (P< 0. 001). Also، regression analysis showed that work related psychological basic needs and extroversion with positive relationship and neuroticism with negative relationship has a significant role in predicting staff work engagement (P< 0. 001). In total (46%) of work engagement variance was explained by these variables.

It is suggested that educational managers have special attention to individual''s personality characteristics particularly neuroticism and extroversion in selection in staffing.