Posted on 6th Sep, 2021
The concept of EI has been around for some time now but has gained immense popularity in the past few years. First referred to in a book authored by Daniel Goleman which was published in 1995 Goleman described EI as playing a part in determining success at quite a few different levels including work, relationships, and physical wellbeing. In the world of business particularly, according to Goleman, EI plays a key role in the areas of leadership and employee development.
Over the years since it was mentioned by Goleman, emotional intelligence has become an important strategy in decided whether a potential candidate is right for the role for which she or he is interviewing and the company.
Emotional intelligence touch upon every aspect of human life, enabling humans to function with confidence, resilience, motivation, and empathy. HR leaders rely on EI to lead, manage, and collaborate with employees. Managers specifically require EI to stimulate engagement, motivation, and productivity in employees, as EI is the mainstay of a strong work environment, which empowers employees to:
Create healthy relationships
Grow and improve
Collaborate and communicate effectively
Achieve goals
Building a workforce of sensible employees and administrators who realize both their own self-worth and that of others contributes to imbuing positivity in the workplace. EI lays the groundwork for employees to flourish and build strong interpersonal relationships, empowering them to create a happier and more meaningful work culture.
Lead by example: By exemplifying EI in all their interactions, HR leaders can help inspire others, allowing self-awareness, regulation of emotions, and positive social skills to become the guiding force at the workplace.
Train workplace leaders to hone their EI: HR can implement training sessions to help leaders to practice active listening, problem-solving, conflict resolution, self-respect, and resilience, with these empowering employees to turn challenging and potentially stressful situations into opportunities for growth.
Focus on mental health: Encouraging employees to take out time and space for employees to disconnect from relentless work demands enables them to reconnect to themselves. Creating an environment for wellness activities such as art, exercise, and music can help further aid this process.
Nurture employee's innate characteristics: While some positions demand more EQ than others, each individual employee also offers unique talents and skills to fulfill their duties and benefit their company. The organization ought to encourage all employees to reach their EI potential, while also specifically focusing on developing the EI of individuals in the position to require it most.