EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND EMPLOYEE JOB PERFORMANCE ACROSS DIVERSE WORKPLACE DEMOGRAPHICS

Abstract

Emotional intelligence refers to an individual's capacity to perceive, understand, regulate, and effectively manage emotions in both oneself and others. In organizational settings, emotional intelligence plays a vital role in fostering positive interpersonal relationships, enhancing teamwork, and creating a productive work environment. The present study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence and employee job performance in the Indian retail industry. Primary data were collected from 120 retail employees representing diverse age groups, genders, and levels of work experience. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive association between emotional intelligence and employee job performance, indicating that employees with higher emotional intelligence tend to demonstrate superior workplace performance. The findings further show that emotional intelligence varies significantly across employees with different levels of work experience, whereas no significant differences were observed based on gender or age. Based on these findings, the study suggests that retail organizations should integrate emotional intelligence training and development initiatives into their human resource practices to strengthen employees' interpersonal competencies, enhance workplace effectiveness, and improve overall organizational performance.