How Does Emotional Intelligence Make One Feel Better at Work? The Mediational Role of Work Engagement

Natalio Extremera, Sergio Mérida-López, Nicolás Sánchez-Álvarez and Cirenia Quintana-Orts
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Natalio Extremera: Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Sergio Mérida-López: Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Nicolás Sánchez-Álvarez: Deusto Stress Research, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
Cirenia Quintana-Orts: Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-13

Abstract: Although previous research has highlighted the association between emotional intelligence (EI) and job satisfaction, the underlying mechanisms remain relatively unexplored. To address this gap, this study examined employee engagement as a potential mediator of the association. A multi-occupational sample of 405 Spanish professionals completed the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and an Overall Job Satisfaction Scale as well as providing socio-demographic data. As expected, employees’ EI was positively related to engagement dimensions (vigour, dedication and absorption) as well as overall job satisfaction. Bootstrap estimates from multiple mediation analysis confirmed that employees’ perceived EI was indirectly associated with job satisfaction via vigour and dedication scores, even when controlling for the effects of socio-demographic variables. Similarly, the same pattern was found when multiple mediation was conducted for each EI dimension. Our study contributes to understanding of the processes involved in maintaining and enhancing positive attitudes at work, providing the first, encouraging evidence that work engagement play a role in the EI-job satisfaction link. Our results extend the EI literature by elucidating the pathways through which EI is linked to positive employee attitudes and suggests that intervention programs designed to bolster EI might prove effective at increasing job satisfaction.

Keywords: emotional intelligence; engagement; job satisfaction; multi-occupational sample (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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