EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE WORKPLACE

The work place is an environment with a wide range of characters who come together to achieve a common goal.

 

The workplace is one place where we spend the most of our time. This is one place where we are known in a very deep way by our colleagues.

 

Whenever there are psychological issues affecting us, colleagues in the workplace will in most cases be the first to detect.

 

Sometimes the home becomes an extension of the workplace or perhaps the workplace becomes an extension of our homes. There is a way the two environments merge and affect each other.

 

Emotional intelligence is when we are aware of, control and express our emotions, as we handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.

 

As an entity tries to maintain its stability while adjusting to external changes in the environment, conflicts occur and these conflicts greatly determine the production of individuals. 

 

Depending on the organizational structures, individuals having problems handling issues might get lost and feel like they do not matter to the organizations.

 

Emotional intelligence helps us handle ourselves others and processes in a way that helps us deliver as per the desired expectations.

 

We develop that opinion that guides us in understanding that we cannot exercise total control over the environment but, we can control the way we respond.

 

Some of the issues that arise as employees go through the EAPs show that if regular workshops are done on mental health, we can solve many issues that become complex and affect the overall production of institutions.

 

EAPs can assist on;

-Legal, practical and emotional issues.

-Marital, financial and emotional problems.

-Family issues.

-Substance use and alcoholism issues.

-Retirement and retrenchment.

-Trauma related issues in the workplace.

 

When we are in the workplace, we should be able to

1. Solve our personal issues that might impact our performance.

2. Promote our own positive, personal development.

3. Achieve our potential.

4. Re-establish balance between work and other life events.

 

These programs are directed to both the employers and employees. They foster cohesion and integration between employees and the employers and also amongst the employees themselves.

 

They are nonetheless voluntary and no one can be subjected to these programs against their wish.

 

Families and dependents of the employees are also beneficiaries of these programs. The overall goal of these EAPs is to help employees develop emotional intelligence.

 

Whether organized by the senior management or the employees themselves, if done correctly they can greatly impact the society by creating healthy working environments and lifting the living standards of the society.

 

Remember, family issues can be solved at the workplace very easily but it is not easy to solve workplace issues at home.

 

Burnouts.

It is a work related phenomenon that results from chronic workplace stresses that have not been successfully managed.

The worker feels;

1. Physically drained off their energy which can also be referred to as exhaustion.

2. Increased mental distance from the job.

3. Increased negativity and cynicism about their jobs.

4. Reduced professional efficacy.

It is however not a medical condition.

 

Worth noting is that most people going through burnouts are people who will have invested heavily on the organization in terms of energy, time and skills.

 

These are individuals who will have initially have had a great vision for their organization.

 

Somehow along the way, they start feeling like something is frustrating them and killing their morale.

1. Their frustrations could have been instigated from their rivals. 

They could be unconsciously edging our others who probably have dismal performance.  

They might be exposing some irregularities in their due diligence. These irregularities could be filling the pockets of some corrupt individuals who might be holding higher ranks.

 

2. They could be wrong on some opinion and they ignore caution. This is when we start pursuing our own selfish interests.

 

3. They could be having other underlying mental conditions that defy decency and integrity in the workplace.

Alcoholism and substance use.

This is usually the most common way through which issues are detected. These issues could have stemmed from home or the workplace. 

Alcoholism and substance use are a major concern and when they are on the top management, they are hard to address.

Denial makes people with substance use disorders shy from embracing assistance therefore deepening the condition.

Substance use blows minor issues to off balance positions. A situation that could have been solved through a brief intervention becomes one that ends up consuming a lot in resources.

Alcoholism and substance use pave way for other negative elements to thrive. Some of these elements that are common in workplace as a result of substance use are but not limited to;

1.Stress.

2.Anxiety.

3.Depression.

4.Financial mismanagement.

5.Physical complications like headaches, injuries and fractures, stomach complications and so on.

6.Legal issues.

7.Absenteeism.

8.Relationship issues.

All these greatly affect productivity and in most cases, EAPs will be requested for these situations.

Emotional intelligence is the climax of EAPs.