Policy Press

Work and Personality Change

What We Do Makes Who We Are

By Ying Wang and Chia-Huei Wu

Published

Feb 4, 2021

Page count

152 pages

ISBN

978-1529207552

Dimensions

203 x 127 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Feb 4, 2021

Page count

152 pages

ISBN

978-1529207583

Dimensions

203 x 127 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Feb 4, 2021

Page count

152 pages

ISBN

978-1529207583

Dimensions

203 x 127 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press
Work and Personality Change

Can your job change your personality?

While traditionally personality has been considered fixed and stable, recent thinking indicates that this is not the case. Personality can be changed by various work and vocational experiences, such as employment conditions, career roles, job characteristics and training or interventions.

Drawing on a wide array of research in the field, Wang and Wu provide a conceptual overview on how personality can be changed at work by societal, organisational and job-related factors, while considering how individuals can take an active approach in changing their personality at work.

“Wang and Wu describe how personality develops in work and across the career path. This volume is a must-read for academics and practitioners active in the domains of personality development, coaching and talent acquisition and management.” Filip De Fruyt, Ghent University

“The authors have brought together a huge array of contemporary literature with impressive clarity to provide a much-needed comprehensive account of the fascinating and important area of personality development and change at work. This is critical reading for all work and organizational psychologists.” Stephen A. Woods, University of Liverpool Management School

Ying Wang is Senior Lecturer in Management at RMIT University in Australia. Her research interests include personality and individual differences, positive organisational behaviour, and diversity management.

Chia-Huei Wu is Professor in Organizational Psychology at the University of Leeds in the UK. His research in organisational behaviour focuses on proactive behaviour, personality development, work design and employees' subjective well-being.

1 What Personality Is and Why It Matters for Organisations

2 Can Personality Traits Change, and How? A Review of Personality Development Literature

3 How Work Experiences Drive Personality Change: The Impact of Work, Organisational, Societal and International Environment

4 Intentional Personality Change: Individual Agency in Change and Interventions for Change

5 Implications of Personality Change at Work for Research and Practice