Topic 03: Who You Are Under Stress – The Role of Personality

This topic explores how individual personality traits shape our responses to work-related stress and burnout. Learners will examine the key factors that influence stress perception, including personal resilience, social support, mental health status, and access to resources. The course highlights how traits such as adaptability, resilience, self-efficacy, and perfectionism can either buffer against stress or increase vulnerability, depending on how they are managed. By understanding their own unique personality patterns, participants can identify high-risk behaviors and develop personalized strategies to better cope with stress at work.

The topic also delves into the crucial role of organizational culture—emphasizing how factors like autonomy, role clarity, and recognition impact employee stress and burnout risk. Using established personality models, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Five-Factor Model (Big Five), the module demonstrates how different types—Type A, Type B, introverts, extroverts, perfectionists, and more—respond differently to stressors and require unique prevention strategies. Real-world examples and research findings illustrate how demographic factors like age, gender, and socioeconomic status further shape stress experiences and resilience.

Through practical exercises and reflection activities, learners are encouraged to assess their own strengths and weaknesses, identify personal and workplace stressors, and experiment with tailored stress management techniques. By fostering self-awareness and adapting interventions to fit diverse personalities, organizations and individuals can create healthier, more supportive, and more resilient work environments.