Evaluating emotional intelligence in the workplace: a selected sample

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to analyze the relevance of emotional intelligence (EI) in the workplace in Puerto Rico, specifically in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Industry of the western region of the Island. The sample obtained was composed of 82 managerial and non-managerial employees from four different companies. The instruments administered to the employees were the Work Profile Questionnaire-Emotional Intelligence Version and a demographic information sheet, in order to obtain their emotional quotient (EQ) and socioeconomic characteristics. Correlations, regression analysis, t-Test, and ANOVA were applied to data. It was found that the participants have a high level of EI and got high scores in the seven EI components measured. Also, it was found that younger employees and those with lower educational level tend to have lower EQ scores. It was concluded that EI might impact the workplace and can be a useful criteria for business leaders and managers.