According to a survey by LaSalle Network, 70% of employers are planning to transition back to the workplace come fall. While some employees may be ready to return to their office, 31% of employees are not comfortable with the return (Maurer, 2021). Aside from safety concerns, employees have found working from home to be rewarding in many ways – both professionally and personally. To avoid resistance and anxiety regarding this transition, everyone must work together to build a culture of support. A major building block of a supportive culture is emotional intelligence.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence was first introduced in 1990 by Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer but became well known throughout the workplace after Daniel Goleman’s contribution in 1995. Emotional intelligence, or emotional quotient (EQ), is “the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and reason with emotions,” (Cherry, 2020).
Goleman identified the following five components that are crucial for the development of emotional intelligence (Jager, 2018).
- Self-awareness – ability to understanding your own emotions
- Self-regulation – ability to control your emotions
- Internal motivation – ability to achieve goals
- Empathy – ability to respond to others
- Social skills – ability to develop and maintain relationships
Why does EQ matter in the workplace?
There are many benefits to having emotional intelligence in the workplace, especially during times of stress and uncertainty. Leaders with high EQs can effectively communicate, manage, motivate, and build relationships with their direct reports and peers. Emotional intelligence is what separates average managers from great leaders, rather than their technical intellect or position.
Deep dive into the following LinkedIn Learning courses to learn how you can develop your emotional intelligence:
- Developing Your Emotional Intelligence (1h 8 m)
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence (1h 2 m)
How can you support your team?
Here are four tips on how you can support your team throughout this transition. Leaders and teammates alike can benefit from making a habit of these tips.
Tip 1: Lead with Empathy
Extending empathy to your team will allow them to feel understood. Although you may not agree with someone’s point of view, this small but significant gesture can help foster relationships and increase team engagement (Craddock, n.d.). Empathy may or may not be a familiar skill for you, especially in the workplace. Get to know it more by checking out these additional resources:
- What is Empathy? (article)
- Empathy at Work (47m 56s)
Tip 2: Frequent Temperature Checks
Check in with your team routinely to see how they prefer to work and how they are adjusting. Each employee feels different about the transition from pandemic working conditions to today. Create an environment where employees feel safe to share their concerns. Check out these additional resources:
- 5 ways to check on your team’s well-being without being invasive (article)
- Effective Listening (1h 4m)
Tip 3: Be Flexible
With the return to campus, employees are having to readjust their recently adopted life and workstyle. Allowing flexible working hours can allow your employees to slowly transition back into the workplace. Resources are available to help you and your team understand the remote work and telecommute policies. Use these policies to adjust comfort zones individually while you collectively gauge what your team’s new normal could look like.
Tip 4: Promote Bobcat Balance and Wellness Programs
Remind your team to utilize employee assistance and wellness programs. Bobcat Balance services include: child care, elder care, wellness, and counseling, to name a few. The Texas State Employee Wellness Program allows employees to participate in two and a half hours of wellness activities per week. Attend the Culture of Health course to learn more about the wellness program and how your team can help build.
Remember, it is the individuals with high emotional intelligence that are the most successful in the workplace (Roy, 2021). Taking the time to increase your EQ will not only benefit you, but your team and organization.
Sources:
Cherry, Kendra. (2020, May 25.) Utilizing Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace. verywellmind. https://www.verywellmind.com/utilizing-emotional-intelligence-in-the-workplace-4164713?utm_source=emailshare&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mobilesharebutton2
Craddock, Chris. (n.d.) Motivate Your Team by Leading with Empathy. Projections. https://projectionsinc.com/abetterleader/motivate-by-leading-with-empathy/
Jager, Tom. (2018, September 21.) Emotional Intelligence – What is it and why is it Important for your business? VirtualSpeech. https://virtualspeech.com/blog/importance-emotional-intelligence-workplace
Maurer, Roy. (2021, January 4.) Some Remote Workers Not Comfortable Returning to Office. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/pages/remote-workers-not-comfortable-returning-to-office.aspx
Roy, Braja. (2021, May 21.) Understanding and Utilizing Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace. Vantage Circle. https://blog.vantagecircle.com/emotional-intelligence-in-the-workplace/
“2021: Office Re-entry Index.” (2021, May 11.) LaSalle Network. https://www.thelasallenetwork.com/resources/2021-office-re-entry-index/