Applying artificial neural network approach to predict nurses' job performance based on personality traits and organizational factors

Background: The main goal of every organization is to provide the best quality product or service which mostly depends on its employees' performance. Among various factors, both indoor environmental features in an organization and personality traits of working staff play important role in on job performance. Objective: The purpose of current study was to describe the effect of personality traits and organizational factors on nurses' job performance through applying neural network approach. Materials and Methods: This analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing staff working in inpatient medical departments of a training hospital in Yazd Province in 2016. The study questions were answered through analysis of data obtained from three standard questionnaires. Collected data were entered in SPSS version 20 and analyzed by artificial neural network approach. Results: Findings revealed that from study participants' viewpoint the highest mean score regarding to indoor organizational factors was given to helpful mechanism dimension (5.54 ± 0.79) while the least was mentioned for targeting (5.35 ± 0.81). In association with personnel personality traits, the highest and least mean scores were relatively dedicated to conscientiousness (44.5 ± 4.3) and neuroticism (31.8 ± 4.3). Results of comparing significance coefficients in neural networks depicted that from all study dimensions, agreeableness and reward have got the most importance on job performance (100% and 81.2%) while accountability and helpful mechanisms have got the least (28.5% and 16.5%). Conclusion: Strengthening staff personality traits and environmental factors of a hospital can play an effective role in improving nurses' job performance. Therefore it is suggested that hospital managers help employees to improve their performance through providing a productive work environment and manage the workplace in accordance with important organizational factors mentioned by staff and as well their personality and behavioral patterns.