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Personality and the pandemic: what the research says about effective remote working

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect practically every aspect of our daily lives – and from managing home schooling to the realities of long-term remote working, many of us are feeling the strain. In these times, we have learnt a lot about ourselves, our resilience, and how we respond to challenges. Our personalities have and will continue to play a major role in how we both perceive and react to the changes brought on by the pandemic.

With so much time spent at home, and without the social interactions we are used to, most of us have had to take active steps to protect our mental health and maintain our productivity at work. Some may feel like they are coping and responding well, while others may feel that they are struggling (in which case the tips and resources for maintaining wellbeing we shared in this article at the start of the pandemic may be a useful resource).

And research has indeed revealed that particular combinations of the NEO’s Big Five personality traits are better suited to a more remote way of working. As such, individuals and managers of teams may benefit from taking a closer look at their own personalities. In this article, Hogrefe's Principal Psychologist, Liz Hey, explores the Big Five personality research on remote working and discusses its real-life implications. Click to read

More on the NEO Personality Inventory and the ‘Big Five’

The NEO Personality Inventory is based on the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality, measuring the ‘Big Five’ personality domains and the six most salient specific attributes (facets) arising from each. The FFM derives from decades of research on the structure of personality and has been consistently replicated across cultures. It is now widely recognised as the predominant personality classification.

The NEO was the first psychometric instrument designed to measure the FFM and remains the most comprehensive. Across editions, the NEO has demonstrated utility in occupational, clinical and research settings. Find out more about the NEO Personality Inventory here.