EQ @ Work: Emotional Intelligence at Work – Why it is Important and How to Apply it

Emotional intelligence and emotional quotient

Emotional intelligence is an indispensable skill for people. Emotions impact every aspect of people’s lives, including the workplace. Those with a high level of emotional intelligence can identify the impact of their emotions on themselves and others.

One indicator of a high level of emotional intelligence in the workplace is good communication. Employees with good communication skills tend to treat one another with respect and interact appropriately. Conflicts are also typically resolved appropriately, avoiding further escalation which could otherwise lead to more severe issues.

Ultimately, the presence of emotional intelligence allows employees to handle conflicts optimally and professionally while avoiding unnecessary issues in the workplace. Emotional intelligence is evident in decision-making, which is done correctly and with the well-being of the organization in mind.

Emotional intelligence can be defined as the ability people have to identify and manage their emotions, and how these influence their behavior and their environment. It was previously believed that it was something innate in people, but it has been proven it is a skill that can be learned.

People with high levels of emotional intelligence can learn to identify their strengths and weaknesses, which helps them to continue working on themselves constantly and improve.

Knowing the level of emotional intelligence is important because it allows people to understand how to work on themselves. Emotional quotient (EQ) is responsible for measuring these levels, and at the same time, it is a concept that is also used to refer to emotional intelligence.

Emotional quotient refers to the measurement of a person’s emotional intelligence. It is a non-traditional method, but those who study the concept of intelligence understand that it is as important as traditional IQ measurement.

It can be complex to measure a person’s emotional state, but various assessments and tools help measure emotional intelligence effectively. The result obtained in the assessments is what is known as EQ. Self-reports and ability tests are two useful ways of measuring (EI).

Self-report tests refer to assessments or surveys in which individuals express their emotions, attitudes and behaviors. The Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence test is one of the most widely used self-report tests. Ability tests measure a person’s emotional abilities through everyday situations. The Mayer, Salovey, Caruso Emotional Intelligence test (MSCEIT) is one of the most widely used ability tests.

The importance of emotional intelligence at work

Emotional intelligence plays an essential role in shaping workplace environments.

Some of its benefits are:

• Helps employees to respond effectively to challenges: In situations with high levels of stress and where important decisions are to be made, emotional intelligence helps them make the right decisions.

• Healthier interpersonal relationships: The work environment is healthy. Employees can identify the influence of their emotions on their behavior and how this affects others. There is a high level of empathy, where the well-being of all employees is considered.

• Increased productivity: Employees who know how to manage their emotions, work as a team, and resolve conflicts, are people who will work well and this will be reflected in the productivity of the company.

Consequences of low emotional intelligence in the workplace

Companies that have employees with low levels of emotional intelligence can face major challenges. Employees are essential to any company, thus not knowing how to respond to stressful situations assertively, being unable to work as a team and being unable to control emotions can lead to a toxic work environment.

Some of the consequences in environments where emotional intelligence is not present at work are:

• Problems in interactions with others: Employees may have difficulty understanding their environment, which leads them to react impulsively, and in some cases, aggressively. Misunderstandings between employees become common be ecause they are poorly aware of their emotions and do not know how to express them correctly.

• Poor ability to adapt to changes: Employees feel frustrated, irritated, and uncomfortable when changes are made. They do not know and do not create the openness to learn to adapt to changes, even if those benefit them.

• High stress levels: Due to poor emotional management, stress increases considerably and can affect productivity.

• Company goals are not achieved: Poor conflict management, impulsive decision making, aggressive actions and words among employees can lead to the organization not achieving its objectives.

In organizations, it is vital to create a culture focused on employees’ wellbeing, since these influence employees’ behavior. Employees must navigate workplace demands and personal challenges that influence their emotions. This is why emotional intelligence is important, as it helps them reflect on their environment, how their actions inside and outside the organization influence their emotional state, and how this impacts their environment.

How employees can apply EI and EQ in the workplace?

Emotional intelligence is essential for managing emotions in the workplace, fostering a positive environment, and sustaining productivity. Some ways to apply emotional intelligence are:

1. Self-assessment

   One of the first steps to developing emotional intelligence is self-assessment. Self-assessment helps people determine what their strengths are and what areas of themselves need improvement. Employees must understand how their emotions influence their words and actions, and how these impact their environment.

2. Self-regulate your emotions

   After the employees know the impact of their emotions on themselves and their environment, they must learn to regulate them. Self-regulation can be difficult at first, but constant practice helps manage emotions healthily, avoiding impulsive words and actions.

   An effective strategy in the process of regulating emotions is deep breathing and meditation. Before and after leaving work, employees can take a few minutes to meditate, which helps them stay focused. In times of high stress, people can take a few seconds to take deep breaths to maintain control.

3. Learn to communicate with others

   Communication is essential in interpersonal relationships and goes hand in hand with emotional intelligence. The way people communicate with each other reflects the way they manage and express their emotions. Emotional intelligence helps employees express themselves clearly and correctly with their peers, which minimizes misinterpretations.

4. Resolving conflicts assertively

   There are times when conflicts cannot be avoided, and to resolve them assertively a high level of emotional intelligence is necessary. Conflict resolution involves active listening, empathy, and creating agreements to satisfy both parties.