Individual difference and job performance: the relationships among personal factors, job characteristics, flow experience, and service quality

The aim in this study was to investigate the effect of 3 personal factors of gender, length of employment, and meditation experience on employee perceptions of job characteristics (JC), flow experience (FE), and service quality (SQ). Customer service personnel in 20 technological companies (N = 341) in Taiwan were surveyed. The results show that: (i) length of employment has a significantly positive influence on JC and SQ; (ii) where there is meditation experience this has a significantly positive effect on FE and SQ; (iii) JC has a direct and significant impact on FE and SQ; and (iv) FE has a direct and significant influences on SQ. The findings provide useful information for managers to enhance service through the adoption of appropriate employee retention, and job design strategies, and meditation training, to facilitate the experience of flow in everyday work life.