Emotional intelligence and job performance: A meta-analysis
Journal of Organizational Behavior
Abstract
This meta-analysis builds upon a previous meta-analysis by (1) including 65 per cent more studies that have over twice the sample size to estimate the relationships between emotional intelligence (EI) and job performance; (2) using more current meta-analytical studies for estimates of relationships among personality variables and for cognitive ability and job performance; (3) using the three-stream approach for classifying EI research; (4) performing tests for differences among streams of EI research and their relationships with personality and cognitive intelligence; (5) using latest statistical procedures such as dominance analysis; and (6) testing for publication bias. We classified EI studies into three streams: (1) ability-based models that use objective test items; (2) self-report or peer-report measures based on the four-branch model of EI; and (3) “mixed models” of emotional competencies. The three streams have corrected correlations ranging from 0.24 to 0.30 with job performance. The three streams correlated differently with cognitive ability and with neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Streams 2 and 3 have the largest incremental validity beyond cognitive ability and the Five Factor Model (FFM). Dominance analysis demonstrated that all three streams of EI exhibited substantial relative importance in the presence of FFM and intelligence when predicting job performance. Publication bias had negligible influence on observed effect sizes. The results support the overall validity of EI. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Note: Correction added on 22 July 2010 after first publication online on 29 June 2010. The affiliations for Ronald H. Humphrey and Thomas H. Hawver have been corrected in this version of the article.
... Other scholars have examined self-evaluations of ability and developed self-report measures (Wong & Law, 2002). Research has shown that both EI abilities and self-evaluations predict desirable outcomes related to well-being, quality of interpersonal relationships, and performance in achievement settings (e.g., Miao et al., 2016Miao et al., , 2017aMiao et al., , 2017bO'Boyle et al., 2011;Sánchez-Álvarez et al., 2016). Separately, Boyatzis (2018) acknowledged the importance of ability and self-perceptions and asserted that they form foundational levels in a multilevel model of EI culminating in a behavioral level of observable EI-relevant expressions. ...
... Those with higher EI ability are rated by their peers and supervisors as effectively building positive work relationships (Dabke, 2016;Lopes et al., 2006). Furthermore, EI ability is related to work performance measured both objectively (sales values, merit pay increases; Lopes et al., 2006) and employing informant reports by coworkers and superiors (O'Boyle et al., 2011). ...
... Research on trait EI focuses on efficacy perceptions (e.g., "I am a good observer of others' emotions"; Petrides et al., 2016;Wong & Law, 2002). Self-reported EI efficacy motivates behavior at work and predicts relevant distal outcomes, such as higher job satisfaction (Miao et al., 2017a(Miao et al., , 2017b, lower burnout (Mérida-López & Extremera, 2017), quality work relationships (Schröder-Abé & Schütz, 2011), and performance (360 evaluations and objective measures, controlling for personality and cognitive ability; O'Boyle et al., 2011). ...
The theory of emotional intelligence (EI) grew out of research at the intersection of emotion and cognition and originally focused on individual ability and self-perception of ability. We argue that to fully understand how EI influences work-related outcomes in organizations, in addition to these individual variables, we need to examine how organizational factors create opportunities (or barriers) for the enactment of emotionally intelligent behavior (EIB). We discuss three groups of organizational factors: leader EIB, team EI climate (group behavioral norms), and organizational culture (values and practices). We present a model describing how these organizational factors moderate individual potential to shape EIB as a proximal outcome, which in turn predicts distal outcomes related to work well-being, interpersonal effectiveness, and performance. Directions for future research and practical applications for how organizational psychologists and consultants can boost both individual potential and organizational opportunities for EIB are discussed.
... EI is defined as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, to guide behavior and decision-making (Salovey and Mayer 1990). Numerous studies have explored the influence of EI on occupational performance (e.g., Côté and Miners 2006;Gong et al. 2019;O'Boyle et al. 2011). ...
... RE plays a crucial role in medical and health services due to the sector's high sensitivity, where stability and performance under both predictable and unpredictable circumstances can have long-term consequences. Furthermore, environmental conditions, as well as the mental and emotional state of employees, significantly influence their decision-making and performance at the workplace (O'Boyle et al. 2011). Consequently, the EI of the overall performance of these organizations. ...
Every year, health tourism organizations (HTOs) provide numerous patients worldwide with specialized or less costly medical services. Any crisis or uncertainty can have detrimental effects on the performance of these organizations, the behavior and emotions of staff, as well as the economy of the host country. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the resilience of these organizations and the behavior of their staff in facing challenges and crises. In this study, we assessed the performance of an HTO in Tehran using resilience engineering and emotional intelligence indicators. The required data were collected using standard questionnaires, and data envelopment analysis was employed to study the performance of this HTO. Sensitivity analysis was applied to evaluate the performance of the HTO concerning each indicator. Finally, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats matrix was applied to propose strategies aimed at enhancing the performance of the studied HTO.
... Furthermore, effect sizes from studies using ability-based emotional intelligence measures have remained stable over time, unlike self-report emotional intelligence measures, suggesting greater conceptual [26]. Ability emotional intelligence has also been associated with positive outcomes in domains relevant to realworld functioning, including relationship quality [28,29], life satisfaction [30], reduced engagement in deviant behaviours [31], academic performance [32], and workplace success, such as improved job performance, higher job satisfaction, and lower burnout [33,34]. Collectively, these findings support the validity of ability emotional intelligence as a construct distinct from personality and general intelligence [14,27], and point to its value in predicting behaviour across contexts. ...
Background
Decision-making is integral to navigating everyday life, and understanding the cognitive and emotional factors influencing affective decision-making is crucial.
Methods
In this study, 149 participants completed the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) to measure ability emotional intelligence, a N-back working memory task, and three affective decision-making tasks: the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), and Columbia Card Task (CCT).
Results
The results revealed that understanding emotions, a domain of emotional intelligence, was a significant predictor of superior decision-making on both the IGT and CCT, even after controlling for working memory abilities. This finding suggests that the relationship between understanding emotions and affective decision-making is not merely a reflection of general cognitive abilities, but rather highlights the unique contribution of emotional understanding to strategic decision-making in emotionally charged contexts. However, emotional intelligence was not significantly associated with BART performance.
Conclusions
These findings highlight the importance of understanding emotions in strategic decision-making and open avenues for future research to investigate whether training ability emotional intelligence can improve affective decision-making tasks and yield meaningful benefits in real-world contexts.
... They also cultivate better relationships with the help of their interpersonal skills [87]. Moreover, they are better at regulating their emotions and managing stress which contributes to improved performance [11,88]. Similarly, when individuals are adept at managing stress, they cope with stress constructively and maintain optimal performance in stressful situations [48,49,89]. ...
Purpose: During the last few decades, studies on theoretical models of emotional intelligence and stress management in the fields of psychology, organizational behaviour, and HRM, have attracted the attention of researchers. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the studies on the relationship between emotional intelligence and stress management to identify the research gaps in this area and to prepare a future research agenda. Design/Methodology/Approach: The method of systematic literature was employed for this review. The authors highlight the findings from prior studies based on the articles/papers/press notes published in reputed journals and provide directions for research. Findings: Of the reviewed research papers/articles/press notes, 91 sources helped us establish a relationship between emotional intelligence and stress management, 15 of which indicated an evident inverse relationship, and 29 were linked to their common constructs, which helped us conclude that emotional intelligence and stress management are highly correlated. The authors find that there are several areas that were underexplored in prior research. There is great potential for theoretical extension and theory development in this field because it covers the tenets of three subjects: psychology, organizational behaviour, and human resource management. Originality/value: There is no comprehensive review exploring the relationships and common constructs of emotional intelligence and stress management based on all the articles published in well-regarded academic journals. This review seeks to provide deeper insights, which will help us to contribute to the development of this research field.
In dieser Literaturarbeit wurde die Rolle der emotionalen Intelligenz als Erfolgsfaktor im Shared Leadership untersucht. Dabei konnten sieben Effekte der emotionalen Intelligenz identifiziert werden, welche positive Auswirkungen auf Shared Leadership haben. Diese sind die gegenseitige Unterstützung, der Informationsaustausch, das Vertrauen, das Pflichtbewusstsein, das Engagement, die kreative Problemlösung und die kooperative Entscheidungsfindung.
This paper investigates the impact of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on employee performance in customer-facing roles, with a particular focus on how EI influences interpersonal interactions. In an era where customer satisfaction and loyalty are crucial to organizational success, employees' ability to understand and manage their emotions—and to empathize with and respond appropriately to the emotions of customers—plays a pivotal role in shaping the overall customer experience. The paper examines the key components of EI—self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and social skills—and their effects on employee performance in terms of attitudes, behaviours and expertise.
Inteligencja emocjonalna uznawana jest za jedną z kompetencji niezbędnych w zawodach tzw. zaufania społecznego. Sprzyja efektywnemu realizowaniu zadań terapeutycznych przez specjalistów, umożliwia prowadzenie wrażliwego kulturowo wywiadu diagnostycznego, pozwala zadbać o do brostan psychiczny pacjentów, wzmacniając ich potencjał społeczny. W wielu badaniach stwierdzono istotne znaczenie inteligencji emocjonalnej dla rozwoju zawodowego studentów nauk medycznych. Analiza zebranych danych ilościowych przeprowadzona na jednej z lubelskich uczelni wśród studentów kierunku lekarskiego wskazuje na niezadowalający jej poziom u badanych bez względu na rok studiów. Wprowadzanie programów szkoleniowych i rozwijanie interwencji dydaktycznych skoncentrowanych na kształceniu kompetencji społecznych w edukacji wyższej jest niezbędne dla promowania opieki skoncentrowanej na pacjencie w społeczeństwie.
Background Nurses often experience high levels of Work-Family Conflict (WFC) due to the demanding nature of their profession, which can negatively affect job performance (JP). Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been identified as a factor that helps individuals manage stress and conflicts effectively, potentially mediating the relationship between WFC and JP. However, the interaction between these variables in the context of the nursing profession, especially in Saudi Arabia, has not been fully explored. This study aims to examine the impact of WFC on JP and assess the mediating role of EI in this relationship among staff nurses. Methods A descriptive multivariate correlational design was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A convenient sample of 227 nurses was recruited. Three validated instruments: the Work-Family Conflict Scale, the Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance, and the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale was utilized. Descriptive and inferential statistics and path analysis were used to analyze the data. Results A statistically significant inverse relationship between WFC and JP (β = -0.08, p < 0.01) was reported, suggesting that higher levels of WFC are associated with lower JP. However, WFC did not significantly affect EI (β = -0.02, p = 0.35). Importantly, EI had a significant positive impact on JP (β = 0.47, p < 0.01) and partially mediated the relationship between WFC and JP, explaining 22% of the variance in JP. Conclusion WFC negatively affects JP among nurses, but EI acts as a crucial mediator in improving JP despite WFC. Developing EI among nurses could mitigate the adverse effects of WFC and enhance JP. These findings provide significant implications for healthcare administrators and nurse managers aiming to improve nurse performance, retention, well-being, and organizational outcomes.
This article meta-analytically summarizes the literature on training motivation, its antecedents, and its relationships with training outcomes such as declarative knowledge, skill acquisition, and transfer. Significant predictors of training motivation and outcomes included individual characteristics (e.g., locus of control, conscientiousness, anxiety, age, cognitive ability, self-efficacy, valence, job involvement) and situational characteristics (e.g., climate). Moreover, training motivation explained incremental variance in training outcomes beyond the effects of cognitive ability. Meta-analytic path analyses further showed that the effects of personality, climate, and age on training outcomes were only partially mediated by self-efficacy, valence, and job involvement. These findings are discussed in terms of their practical significance and their implications for an integrative theory of training motivation.
A common research problem is the estimation of the population correlation between x and y from an observed correlation rxy obtained from a sample that has been restricted because of some sample selection process. Methods of correcting sample correlations for range restriction in a limited set of conditions are well-known. An expanded classification scheme for range-restriction scenarios is developed that conceptualizes range-restriction scenarios from various combinations of the following facets: (a) the variable(s) on which selection occurs (x, y and/or a 3rd variable z), (b) whether unrestricted variances for the relevant variables are known, and (c) whether a 3rd variable, if involved, is measured or unmeasured. On the basis of these facets, the authors describe potential solutions for 11 different range-restriction scenarios and summarize research to date on these techniques.
The field of organizational justice continues to be marked by several important research questions, including the size of relationships among justice dimensions, the relative importance of different justice criteria, and the unique effects of justice dimensions on key outcomes. To address such questions, the authors conducted a meta-analytic review of 183 justice studies. The results suggest that although different justice dimensions are moderately to highly related, they contribute incremental variance explained in fairness perceptions. The results also illustrate the overall and unique relationships among distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice and several organizational outcomes (e.g., job satisfaction, organizational commitment, evaluation of authority, organizational citizenship behavior, withdrawal, performance). These findings are reviewed in terms of their implications for future research on organizational justice.
Emotional labor is the display of expected emotions by service agents during service encounters. It is performed through surface acting, deep acting, or the expression of genuine emotion. Emotional labor may facilitate task effectiveness and self-expression, but it also may prime customer expectations that cannot be met and may trigger emotive dissonance and self-alienation. However, following social identity theory, we argue that some effects of emotional labor are moderated by one's social and personal identities and that emotional labor stimulates pressures for the person to identify with the service role. Research implications for the micro, meso, and macro levels of organizations are discussed.
