Emotional Intelligence refers to the abilities of a person to properly identify their emotions, control and express them while conducting a task or relating with other people. Studies in human resources have shown that while hiring managers need to look out for people who are skilled enough to carry out the tasks their organization needs to be handled, it is even more important to identify candidates who show strong traits of emotional intelligence. Read on to discover five benefits of hiring emotionally intelligent employees.
1. Better at communication
Many times, people in stressful situations find themselves unable to express themselves or their ideas because they get caught up in emotions that reflect the situation they are facing. This can prove difficult in a workplace where communication between coworkers is key to dealing with challenging circumstances. Emotionally intelligent people are able to isolate themselves from their emotions so that they can see clearly and explain ideas or situations in ways that enable others to work with them to get results.
2. Take feedback in stride
At work, we rarely ever know everything we need to know, and it is the responsibility of team leaders and colleagues to give us feedback when we make a mistake or go in an unfavorable direction. Employees who lack emotional intelligence can make this process very difficult; sometimes believing critique to be an attack instead of an opportunity to get the knowledge needed for improvement. Emotionally intelligent employees recognize feedback as a gift, and gladly take it in stride whenever they receive it
3. They take responsibility
When groups of people get together to achieve a goal, something will inevitably go wrong. While this may fluster most people, emotionally intelligent people recognize the inevitability of the circumstance and in fact, often take responsibility for these seemingly wrong circumstances and use them as a chance to improve their skills. Doing this helps the company navigate challenges and keep moving forward.
4. They perform better at their jobs
Employees who are emotionally intelligent inevitably perform better than those who are not. They are able to manage themselves and their activities better, delivering tasks with much less micromanaging. They are able to deal with the challenges that come with their jobs and are usually able to handle those problems without being a burden to their teammates. Furthermore, they are usually able to find new ways to perform their jobs better, as they are rarely fixated on doing things in a particular way when there are better options available.
5. They make better leaders
When looking for a leader, would you rather have the person who is constantly being overwhelmed by his emotions, or a person who understands herself and is well put together? The ability to see clearly in times when others are disoriented is key to being able to lead people. Having emotionally intelligent employees means that those who rise to leadership positions will be of truly great quality and will be able to lead the team towards more rewarding goals.
Hiring managers must always hire skilled workers who have the necessary IQ to carry out the company’s required tasks but should never forget the need for emotional intelligence. HR heads should also regularly provide opportunities for their teams to learn about emotional intelligence, so they can integrate it into their working learn about emotional intelligence lives.
