Browse jobs Find the right job type for you Explore how we help job seekers Finance and accounting Administrative, HR and customer support IT Flexible talent Permanent talent  Project and interim management Learn how we work with you Executive search Finance and accounting Administrative, HR and customer support IT IT Risk, audit and compliance Finance and accounting Digital, marketing and customer experience Legal Customer service, administrative and operations Human resources 2024 Salary Guide Emotional intelligence at the workplace report Robert Half blog Press Room Salary and hiring trends Flexible working Competitive advantage Work/life balance Diversity and inclusion Our locations Browse jobs

Emotional intelligence in the workplace

Download the report in Dutch or French and discover: what emotional intelligence is and why it's important the importance of emotional intelligence as colleague or manager how to hire emotionally intelligent employees

What is emotional intelligence and why is it important?

Emotional intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in the workplace, both for employees and for the managers who hire them. Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of one's own emotions, to control them and to express them in a correct manner. In addition, EI also helps you understand how your colleagues or your team feel and consequently communicate with them more efficiently.

The importance of emotional intelligence as colleague or manager

As a manager, you can benefit from improving your EI level to lead your team, support employees and gain more responsibility. But emotional intelligence is not only of great value to leaders, it's a useful feature on every level. People with high emotional intelligence are better team members. In our research, better cooperation, increased motivation and strong networking skills are mentioned by hiring managers as positive consequences of an emotionally intelligent team.

Hiring emotionally intelligent employees

Hiring managers should take the EI of candidates into consideration during the hiring process. 54 percent of hiring managers say they feel that most employers don't put enough emphasis on emotional intelligence during the recruitment process. There are several tools which managers can use to gauge applicants' EI. In our study, 41 percent of hiring managers use reference checks to help determine a candidate's EI, 73 percent use behavioral interview questions, and 32 percent use personality or psychometric tests. Our 'Recruiting for Emotional Intelligence’ white paper will help you on your way. In this white paper you will find a checklist of interview questions and tips to test the emotional quotient of candidates. The whitepaper is only available in Dutch and French.