Personality and Leadership as Dispatcher Retention Tools

For over thirty years rapid technological advances,combined with increases in population and demographicshifts, have been among drivers of growth in 9-1-1telecommunicator occupations. In the past decade,dispatcher retention has been further exacerbated byrapid telecommunication advancements, dynamicenvironmental stressors, and high-technologyoccupational opportunities. These change factorshave resulted in an increased emphasis on E 9-1-1staffing issues; they have created a need foremployee retention strategies This case studyexamined relationships between personality andretention of 9-1-1 emergency telecommunicators. Thestudy evaluates linkages between individualcharacteristics, contextual performance, servantleadership, and person-job fit, as related todispatcher retention. Findings indicate significantrelationships do exist between personality andemployee retention, person-job fit, contextualperformance, and servant leadership traits expressedas contextual performance in the sites examined. Further, findings of this study provide a sound casefor on-going investigation of relationships betweenpersonality, Servant Leadership, and dispatcherretention.