Title: Employee playfulness: effects of personality and organisational climate

Authors: Yu-Ling Ho; Ching-Yueh Chen; Liang-Hung Lin

Addresses: Center for General Education, National Taitung Jr. College (Taiwan), 95045, Taiwan ' College of Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (Taiwan), 807, Taiwan ' Department of International Business, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, 415 Chien Kung Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan

Abstract: Many studies have suggested the importance of playfulness at workplace and that playfulness is likely to be affected by employees' own personality as well as the work environment. In the era of uncertainty, 'employees' or 'talents' are the key for organisations to remain competitive in the industry. This study therefore aims to find out the antecedents-personality traits and organisational playfulness climate-in employee playfulness. Grounded on the analysis of survey, this study finds that big five personality traits, in particular extraversion and openness to experience, are positively associated with employees' personal playfulness. Moreover, organisational playfulness climate, in particular an organisational climate characterised by playing together and pressure release, has a positive impact on employees' personal playfulness at workplace.

Keywords: agreeableness; conscientiousness; employee playfulness; extraversion; neuroticism; openness to experience; personal playfulness; personality traits; organisational climate; organisational playfulness climate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2021.117096

International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2021 Vol.6 No.3, pp.197 - 219

Received: 24 Apr 2020
Accepted: 26 Aug 2020
Published online: 17 Aug 2021 *

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