The impact of emotional intelligence on workers’ behaviour in industrial organizations

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of emotional intelligence on workers’ behaviour in industrial organizations. This was for the purpose of determining the appropriate management strategies that could foster improved job performance, job involvement, satisfaction and commitment among the workforce in Nigeria. The study adopted ex-post facto research design. A total of 652 respondents were selected for the study using proportionate stratified sampling technique. A set of questionnaires with five sub-scales was utilized for data collection. The hypotheses generated for the study were tested at 0.05 alpha level using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t test statistics. The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and workers’ job performance, job satisfaction, job involvement and organizational commitment. The study recommended that organizational support system should be encouraged in order to foster commitment, job involvement, improved job performance, satisfaction and commitment among the workforce. Labour and management education that could incorporate psychological issues that can enhance emotional intelligence such as burnout, stress, interpersonal relations and conflict management should be organized for workers on a continuous basis, in order to foster workers’ retention and development.