Emotional intelligence describes how people notice, understand, express and manage emotions: their own and other people's. This guide explains what emotional intelligence means at work, the debate about how to measure it, what research says about its link with performance, and how the Viewpoint Emotional Intelligence Survey can be used.

What emotional intelligence means

Most jobs involve emotion: calming an upset customer, giving difficult feedback, keeping a team motivated through change, or staying composed under pressure. People who handle these moments well tend to build better relationships and cope better with stress. Emotional intelligence (EI) is the name given to the skills and tendencies behind this.

Ability or trait?

There is a long-running debate about how to define and measure EI. Mayer, Salovey and Caruso argued that EI should be treated as an ability, measured with problems that have better and worse answers, and contrasted this with broader "mixed" or trait models that combine emotional skills with personality characteristics [1]. Trait questionnaires ask people how they typically notice and handle emotions. Both approaches are useful; they simply measure EI in different ways.

The Viewpoint Emotional Intelligence Survey (EIS) is a questionnaire. It has 72 statements, takes about 10 minutes, and measures six emotional style scales, each with two subscales, giving a rich picture for recruitment, development and coaching. Four report types are available.

What research says about EI and performance

Joseph and Newman's meta-analysis found that EI is related to job performance, with the relationship strongest in jobs with high emotional demands, such as customer service, care and sales [2]. They also found that much of what EI questionnaires predict overlaps with personality and ability, which is a reason to treat EI as one part of the picture rather than a replacement for other measures.

The balanced reading is that EI matters most where the job itself is emotionally demanding, and that it is best used to support conversation and development rather than as a single decision-making score.

Using the EIS well

In recruitment, use EIS results to shape interview questions about emotionally demanding situations in the role. For example, if a result suggests someone keeps their feelings to themselves, ask how they let colleagues know when a workload is becoming unmanageable.

In development and coaching, EI results give people a vocabulary for how they handle emotions and a starting point for change. Unlike ability, emotional habits can often be developed with practice and feedback.

For candidates, there are no right or wrong answers. Answer honestly about how you usually respond, not how you would like to.

See the Emotional Intelligence Survey page, our Wellbeing Dimensions Survey, or all our personality tests.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the EIS take?

It has 72 statements and takes about 10 minutes.

Can emotional intelligence be improved?

Many aspects of how people notice and manage emotions can be developed with practice, feedback and coaching.

Is the EIS an ability test?

No. It is a questionnaire about how people typically notice and handle emotions.

Which roles is it most relevant to?

Roles with high emotional demands, such as leadership, customer service, care and sales.

References

1. Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P. & Caruso, D. R. (2008). Emotional intelligence: new ability or eclectic traits? American Psychologist, 63(6), 503–517.
2. Joseph, D. L. & Newman, D. A. (2010). Emotional intelligence: an integrative meta-analysis and cascading model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(1), 54–78.