The ZenHR Blog

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace - ZenHR's Blog

Written by Cavall | 299/October/2017

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and identify one’s emotions and the emotions of others. We measure how well we understand our emotions through emotional intelligence. Its crucially important to know how to interpret your emotions in order to effectively communicate with your coworkers at the workplace.

How can emotional intelligence affect your career?

Did you know that your emotional intelligence can affect your every day decisions? Hiring managers usually look at an applicant’s emotional intelligence during the hiring process. An employee’s emotional intelligence is sometimes analyzed in order to determine their leadership potential. Around 90% of top performers score high in emotional intelligence and it can serve as a strong indication of performance success. Improving your emotional intelligence can most definitely improve your life. For instance, being mindful of your non-verbal communication can  help you improve your work relationships. Staying connected with your emotions at all times, will let you control unnecessary emotional outbursts at the office which may be disturbing to others around you.

Five Pillars to Look For In Employees:

Motivation

Emotionally intelligent people are self motivated, but not just by title or money, but  also by ambition and fruitful results. For example, when these employees encounter a major disappointment, their self motivation will allow them to remain optimistic despite all odds and become more determined to overcome any emerging obstacles.

Empathy

Empathetic employees are usually compassionate and understanding in their nature. This allows them to connect with people on an emotional level by genuinely emphasizing with their concerns. Its crucially important to understand and relate to other employees, which will definitely exhibit respect in the workplace. When there’s an empathetic style of leadership being implemented in the workplace, employees will be more productive and loyal.

Self Awareness

When an employee has a high level of self awareness, he or she will be more aware of their strengths or weaknesses and how their actions may start to affect others. Self aware employees are better able to handle constructive criticism and deal with feedback accordingly. Being self aware will allow employees to be realistic about themselves. In addition, they will learn when to apply their strengths, when to balance out their convictions, and when to actively listen to new ideas and accept advice.

People Skills

Having People Skills will definitely add value to your organization. An employee who fosters this skill will effectively communicate with his or her coworkers and avoid any unnecessary miscommunication. People skills help avoid conflicts at the workplace, thus allowing for a mutual understanding amongst employees.

Self Regulation

Employee self regulation can definitely predict an employees’ safety behaviors in the workplace. An employee with high emotional intelligence, can express their emotions freely but know when to exercise restraint. This will keep them from having uncontrollable emotional outbursts in the office, which may serve as a disruption to the work environment.

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Written By: Fatima Rassool