Emotional intelligence research within human resource development scholarship

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to review and synthesize pertinent emotional intelligence (EI) research within the human resource development (HRD) scholarship. Design/methodology/approach – An integrative review of literature was conducted and multiple electronic databases were searched to find the relevant resources. Using the content analysis technique, the literature was reviewed and thematically organized. Findings – Seven major themes emerged through the process of content analysis on the body of the reviewed literature. The themes which described the presence of EI-related research within the field of HRD, included: Conceptual connections between EI and HRD; various aspects of EI training and development; the strengths and weaknesses of different EI measurement tools; EI profiles of individuals across various careers; the influence of context in the interpretation of EI; the role of EI in productive interpersonal interactions; and, finally, the impact of EI in leadership development and performance. Research limitations/implications – The search for this review was limited to peer-reviewed published EI-related articles which contained the keywords “human resource development” or “HRD”. While the field of HRD encompasses a wide variety of areas, this study has the limitation of excluding other relevant articles that did not contain the key terms. Originality/value – The originality of this study lies in its focus on EI and developing human resources. It argues that EI is a legitimate organization development intervention that can be effectively utilized to improve performance at individual, group, process and organizational levels.

Managing the self‐esteem, employment gaps, and employment quality process: The role of facilitation‐ and understanding‐based emotional intelligence

“…Our study addresses employment gaps, a longer term phenomenon encompassing a variety of reasons for employment severance. Thus, our work extends the job search literature by evaluating the role of emotional abilities over an extended period of (un)employment (Farnia & Nafukho, ). We test our theoretical model using a multiwave data collection of 157 individuals over a 10‐ to 12‐year time span.…”

“…Moreover, certain emotional intelligence abilities are linked to processes that should lessen the occurrence and duration of employment gaps over time, as well as help one secure high‐quality employment following an employment gap. Indeed, prior work suggests that emotional intelligence is critical in overcoming the stress‐inducing challenges associated with managing one's career (Dong, Seo, & Bartol, ; Farnia & Nafukho, ). For example, Cheung, Gong, and Huang () found that emotional intelligence is related to the ability to manage strain stemming from job insecurity perceptions.…”

Emotional Intelligence: a Missing Link in Preparing Instructional Design Students for Workplace Success

“…In mid-decade, several authors (Farnia, 2016;Jonck & Swanepol, 2015;Ritzhaupt & Kumar, 2015;) began explor-ing the relationship between emotional intelligence, instructional design and/or human resource development, and success on the job. EI has been a rapidly developing construct in academia (Farnia, 2016). Ritzhaupt and Kumar (2015)…”

“…In mid‐decade, several authors (Farnia, 2016; Jonck & Swanepol, 2015; Ritzhaupt & Kumar, 2015;) began exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence, instructional design and/or human resource development, and success on the job. EI has been a rapidly developing construct in academia (Farnia, 2016). Ritzhaupt and Kumar (2015) made the point that

The theoretical and practical knowledge that a designer brings to the job has to transcend that of information and communication technologies.

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“…Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as an important consideration in human resource planning, job analysis, recruitment, interviews, selection procedure, customer relations, and other areas (Birajdar, 2016, p. 75). Indeed, the construct of EI has changed the definition of success in the workplace (Farnia & Nafukho, 2016, p. 90) as employers begin to recognize benefits of both emotional and cognitive intelligences in employees. The following paragraphs will explore foundational aspects in the literature that support this evolution of ideas related to EI.…”