Some employers measure applicants’ intelligence with tests designed to assess their ability to grasp and synthesize facts, which may provide insight into their potential for success. While conventional measures of intelligence focused on logic and reasoning have been the standard, there’s an increased interest in expanding this to include measures of emotional intelligence. While a relatively new term, emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as a critical component of an individual’s skill set.
In fact, the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Survey 2020” projected that emotional intelligence will be one of the top skills needed in business in 2025. Employers are considering the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace because it can be a crucial indicator of a prospective employee’s capabilities, including how well they would function as part of the company’s culture. An advanced degree such as a online applied psychology masters can help those in human resources and people analytics positions understand and identify emotional intelligence, which can aid in hiring and other leadership decisions.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) has become a hot topic in workplaces over the last few decades As more research uncovers the benefits of EQ, companies are realizing the value of hiring and developing emotionally intelligent employees
But what exactly is emotional intelligence, and why does it matter so much in the workplace? In this article, I’ll explain what EQ is, why it’s critical for organizations, and most importantly – how you can improve emotional intelligence at your company.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s ability to understand, manage, and express their own emotions, while also recognizing the feelings of others. It involves skills like self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and relationship management.
The concept of EQ was first introduced by psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer in the 1990s. But it wasn’t until Daniel Goleman published his bestselling book “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” that EQ really entered mainstream conversations.
Unlike IQ, which is largely fixed, emotional intelligence is a flexible skill that can be improved over time. Both genetics and life experiences play a role in determining someone’s baseline EQ. However, even people who aren’t naturally inclined toward high emotional intelligence can boost their abilities through training and practice.
There are a few key components that make up emotional intelligence:
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Self-awareness – Understanding your own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values, and goals. Self-aware people have a clear picture of themselves and how their feelings influence their thoughts and actions.
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Self-regulation – Managing emotions effectively. This includes controlling impulses, thinking before acting, and handling stress, anxiety, and anger in a constructive way.
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Motivation – Using emotions to propel toward important objectives and persevere through setbacks. Emotionally intelligent people are driven from within, not by money or status.
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Empathy – Recognizing how others are feeling in the moment by listening, observing body language, and practicing compassion. Empathy allows you to understand diverse perspectives.
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Social skills – Building rapport and relationships through communication, collaboration, and managing conflict in productive ways. EQ helps you work cooperatively.
Now that we’ve defined emotional intelligence, let’s look at why it’s so beneficial in the workplace.
The Importance of EQ at Work
EQ used to be seen as a “nice to have” soft skill. But today, experts widely agree it’s essential for personal, team, and company success.
Here are some of the top reasons emotional intelligence matters at work:
1. Better collaboration and communication
Emotionally intelligent employees are adept at reading the room. They can pick up on subtle cues about how others feel to improve understanding. EQ also enables respectful, clear communication. Rather than reacting with frustration when opinions differ, high EQ staff control their responses and find common ground.
2. Increased innovation and productivity
Emotionally intelligent leaders understand what makes team members tick. They motivate by aligning work with values and strengths. Studies show that when people are intrinsically motivated, they generate more creative ideas and work harder. EQ also facilitates problem-solving by helping staff express concerns, brainstorm openly, and admit mistakes.
3. Higher employee retention
Workplaces rife with miscommunication, disrespect, and conflict lead to staff disengagement and turnover. Emotionally intelligent cultures make people feel valued and understood. One study found companies with high EQ management retain 41% more employees than average.
4. Reduced stress and burnout
Managing emotions prevents prolonged negativity that drains mental health over time. EQ skills like self-care, optimistic thinking, and social support act as buffers against anxiety, exhaustion, and cynicism. This protects staff wellbeing.
5. Increased leadership effectiveness
The ability to empathize, inspire, develop talent, and manage relationships is central to great leadership. And these are all fundamental EQ capabilities. Executives with high emotional intelligence have twice the engagement, performance, and earnings growth compared to low EQ leaders.
Clearly, developing emotional intelligence should be a priority for any organization looking to thrive. Next, let’s explore tips for how to actually improve EQ at your workplace.
6 Ways to Boost Emotional Intelligence at Work
Raising emotional intelligence across your company requires an intentional, ongoing effort. Here are six strategies to get started:
1. Offer EQ training
Formal emotional intelligence training teaches people to manage stress, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and more. EQ programs can be facilitated online, face-to-face, or through a blended approach. Look for courses that combine education with opportunities to practice real-life scenarios.
2. Incorporate EQ into performance reviews
Add emotional intelligence competencies like self-control, empathy, and teamwork to your performance evaluation criteria. This motivates people to develop these skills. You can also ask for 360 reviews to garner feedback about EQ capabilities from coworkers.
3. Lead by example
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” When leaders role model EQ attitudes and behaviors, it sets the tone for the entire organization. Admit your mistakes, seek input from staff at all levels, and praise emotional intelligence when you spot it.
4. Hire based on emotional intelligence
Incorporate EQ assessment tests and interview questions to gauge candidates’ abilities to manage emotions, collaborate, and show resilience. Hiring staff with innate emotional intelligence paves the way for an emotionally intelligent culture.
5. Establish EQ behavioral guidelines
Create guidelines that reflect your expectations around emotional intelligence. For example, “Listen first, then respond thoughtfully and respectfully” or “Offer support when you sense a coworker is having a difficult day.” Post these in the office and refer back to them in company meetings.
6. Reward emotional intelligence
When you catch someone demonstrating empathy, resolving conflict constructively, or acting as a role model of EQ, call out their behavior and offer praise or small rewards. This reinforces emotional intelligence habits across the organization.
Developing a highly emotionally intelligent workplace takes time. But the payoff for your people and organization make it well worth the effort.
On a personal note, focusing on EQ changed my life. It improved my relationships, reduced my anxiety, and made me a better leader. I know it can do the same for your employees too.
Remember, we’re all human. Emotions impact everything we do. With understanding, patience and practice, we can all raise our emotional intelligence to transform work for the better.
Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important in the Workplace?
In its most refined form, emotional intelligence provides the empathy necessary to fully understand another’s perspective even when it contradicts one’s own. Emotional intelligence has much to offer the modern workplace and stakeholders across all functions:
- It helps leaders motivate and inspire good work by understanding others’ motivations.
- It brings more individuals to the table and helps avoid the many pitfalls of groupthink.
- It empowers leaders to recognize and act on opportunities others may be unaware of.
- It assists in the recognition and resolution of conflict in a fair and even-handed way.
- It can produce higher morale and assist others in tapping their professional potential.
Like rational intelligence, emotional intelligence can be cultivated through dedicated effort and study. The first step to developing greater emotional intelligence is often to strengthen one’s powers of introspection. Recognizing thought processes, emotions and biases can lead to more well-rounded decisions. Exercising emotional intelligence often requires one to act with confidence, rise above worries about status and question or bypass knee-jerk reactions.
Here are some reasons why emotional intelligence is important in the workplace:
It Eases Navigation of the Globalized Economy
As the global economy has developed into a system characterized by collaboration, negotiation and communication — with all the conceptual ambiguities those denote — emotional intelligence has grown to play a bigger role in the public sphere. Emotional intelligence is correlated with traits like perseverance, self-control and performance under pressure. It provides leaders, no matter their skills, with the emotional fortitude to adapt to change and deal with setbacks.
No matter how the economy transforms, “conventional” intelligence will always be immensely important. However, even the most highly technical roles now include increasing contact with diverse stakeholders, advocating for positions in complex environments and investing mental and emotional capital to deal with uncertain situations. Both rational intelligence and emotional intelligence are here to stay, and well-rounded leaders exhibit and develop both of them.
