The approach of human resources is continually changing. The role is no longer limited to hiring, paperwork, and policy-making. According to Charles Spinelli, today’s HR team is expected to promote and steer business culture, support employee well-being, and collaborate with leaders in making informed and objective decisions. The transition requires developing emotional intelligence as a key skill in HR. It supports HR teams in building trust, solving conflicts, and generating a positive work environment for continual growth.
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
Aka EQ, emotional intelligence refers to the potential to recognize emotions in an individual and in others. It involves self-awareness, empathy, management, and communication skills. By using these abilities, HR professionals listen to employee concerns, guide managers, and support employees to effectively deal with day-to-day challenges. HR with strong EQ can be highly beneficial for the entire workplace.
Building Stronger Workplace Relationships
At the core, a healthy relationship is everything for the success of a company. As HR professionals’ express empathy, understand employee concerns, and take care of them, not only do employees feel valued and supported, but it also builds trust, making them loyal to the company. Strong and healthy relationships lessen possible conflict, promote satisfaction, encourage collaboration, increase productivity, making the company successful and staying at the competitive edge.
Improving Recruitment and Hiring Decisions
One of the major responsibilities of HR is finding the right talent according to the job role of the company. Emotional intelligence comes in handy for HR professionals in making better hiring decisions and choices. With high EQ skills, HR can successfully recognize any lack in teamwork and communication skills in candidates, even if they have a stronger technical background.
According to Charles Spinelli, the skill helps them to set objective questions during interviews. They can perceive how candidates react to feedback and work pressure. This, in turn, leads to a better culture, encourages a supportive workplace environment, and lowers turnover.
More Effectively Resolving Workplace Conflict
Conflict in the workplace is a fact of life. It can stem from different kinds of personalities, workloads, and communication styles. HR professionals can approach conflict calmly and fairly by using their emotional intelligence (EQ). Rather than making hasty decisions and reacting solely based on emotion, they listen to all parties and evaluate the facts around the situation.
They collaborate with each party, listen to their viewpoints, and facilitate constructive conversations that focus on solutions rather than finding fault with any team. With strong EQ, HR can turn conflict into possibilities and growth. Teams learn to communicate better and avoid similar problems in the future.
Enhancing Leadership Development
Culture is determined by the leaders of an organization. Human Resources (HR) is responsible for developing people into these leadership positions. When HR identifies people displaying characteristics of potential leaders early on through their emotional intelligence, they coach those candidates to become successful leaders.
Leaders with high levels of emotional intelligence are able to motivate their team members, provide clear feedback, make sound decisions, and build a culture of inclusivity.
Shaping a Positive Workplace Culture
Policy on its own does not create culture. It flourishes through daily dealings. HR professionals are the main channel of culture through the way they express themselves, communication methods, and assistance. Emotional intelligence enables them to direct the organization toward areas of respect, openness, and collaboration. A good culture has a magnetic power for hiring and retaining talent. It also improves the image of the company.
Emotional intelligence is a must-have for HR nowadays. HR professionals with high emotional intelligence are most sought-after to make a company thrive.
