Personality Traits as Mediators of Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention of Millennial Civilian Employees of PAF: Basis for a Retention Program

This study investigated the associations between the Big Five personality traits, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions among 224 Millennial civilian employees of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Amidst critical challenges in workforce retention—where 98% of Millennial separations in the PAF were voluntary between 2018 and 2022—this research utilized a quantitative descriptive-correlational design and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4) to evaluate the structural relationships between these variables. Data were collected using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) Short Form, Goldberg’s 50-item International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6). Descriptive results revealed high levels of composite job satisfaction (60.3%), yet a significant "Desire to Leave" group (33.5%) was identified, highlighting a latent turnover risk. Inferential analysis indicated that job satisfaction was significantly and negatively associated with turnover intention (Total Effect: B = -0.1993, p < .01). Specifically, mediation analysis revealed that Extraversion was the sole significant mediator (ab = -0.0228, CI [-0.0447, -0.0042]). This result suggests that Extraversion is associated with lower turnover intentions even in the presence of workplace dissatisfaction. However, because this study used a cross-sectional design, these results demonstrate statistical relationships rather than causal effects. While Extraversion showed partial mediation, the direct association between job satisfaction and turnover intention remained significant (c’ = -0.1765). The study is limited by its focus on a specific demographic within the PAF, which may limit generalizability to other organizations. Furthermore, the reliance on self-report Likert scales introduces the potential for central tendency bias. It is recommended that the PAF institutionalize localized "Stay Surveys" and social support systems that consider these personality differences to support the long-term commitment and professional well-being of the Millennial civilian workforce.