Dark Tetrad Traits and Their Associations with Work Engagement and Workplace Outcomes: Evidence from University Teachers in Pakistan

Abstract

This study explores the associations between Dark Tetrad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism) and key workplace outcomes work engagement, counterproductive work behavior, and individual work performance among university teachers in Pakistan. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 350 teachers across government, semi-government, and private institutions and analyzed via SPSS and SmartPLS. Results indicate that Dark Tetrad traits are positively related to counterproductive work behavior and negatively related to both work engagement and individual work performance. Work engagement was negatively associated with counterproductive behavior and positively associated with individual performance. Importantly, work engagement partially mediates these relationships: higher Dark Tetrad traits correspond to lower engagement, which in turn relates to increased counterproductive behaviors and decreased performance. These findings suggest that work engagement serves as a key mechanism through which dark personality traits influence workplace outcomes, highlighting the importance of fostering engagement to mitigate the negative effects of these traits. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings reflect associations rather than causal effects, and further research is needed to clarify underlying mechanisms.