Beyond personality: the impact of GMA on performance for entry-level service employees

摘要

Purpose - While personality is often deemed important, few studies have examined the relationshiprnbetween general mental ability (GMA) and job performance for entry-level service employees. As such,rnthe present study aims to examine the impact of GMA, along with the Big Five personalityrndimensions, on performance in this context.rnDesign/methodology/approach - Data were collected on servers from multiple units of two largernrestaurant chains. The employees completed GMA and personality assessments. Managers in Samplern1 provided ratings of service performance and two dimensions of contextual performance -rninterpersonal facilitation and job dedication. In Sample 2, sales performance data were obtained fromrncompany records.rnFindings - Unlike the Big Five taxonomy, GMA was the only variable to significantly predict allrnperformance criteria.rnResearch limitations/implications - Successful job performance requires more than habits andrnmotivation rooted in personality; it also requires knowledge acquisition and ongoing problem solvingrnfacilitated by GMA.rnPractical implications - Managers should consider GMA along with personality in hiringrndecisions to maximize the prediction of employee performance.rnOriginality/value - The paper demonstrates that GMA impacts multiple dimensions of serverrnperformance, including task and contextual performance.