Impact of emotional intelligence on work performance: The mediating role of occupational stress among nurses

Abstract

Introduction An occupational stress was reported as an inhibitor of optimal performance among nurses. Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a successful behavioral buffer against occupational stress and as a facilitator for better performance. This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between nurses' EI and their work performance; and to examine the mediating role of occupational stress. Design A predictive correlational design was adopted. Method Self‐reported questionnaires were administered to 391 full‐time bedside nurses recruited from one of the big hospitals in Saudi Arabia, between April and June 2021. Data were coded and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. The significance level for all tests was set at p ≤ 0.05. Bonferroni correction method was used to control the family‐wise error rate. Results The findings revealed an affirmative association between nurses' EI and work performance (β = 0.69, p < 0.001; r2 = 0.483). Additionally, an inverse association was established between nurses' EI and their perception of occupational stress (β = −0.54, p < 0.001; r2 = 0.286), and between nurses' perception of occupational stress and work performance (β = −0.52; p < 0.001; r2 = 0.226). Additionally, our results showed that occupational stress played a mediating role in the relationship between nurses' EI and work performance. Conclusion This study presented a novel framework that includes two factors affecting work performance among nurses in Saudi Arabia. Our results suggest that EI is vital for effective work performance among nurses. Additionally, EI was found to be a useful coping strategy against occupational stress. Clinical Relevance EI has been described as a valuable asset for better performance and effective group cohesiveness among nurses. Optimal nurses᾽ performance leads to meeting patients᾽ needs and organizational goals.

Emotional Intelligence among Nurses and Its Relationship with Their Performance and Work Engagement: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Another study found the same results of the current study by linking the emotional intelligence with job performance of nurses [8]. A study was conducted in Saudi Arabia by Alsufyani et al [33] to examine the relationship between EI and work performance among nurses and found that emotional intelligence and work performance are positively associated. Nurses with a high level of emotional intelligence are capable to handle work which results in better overall work performance [14].…”

Emotional intelligence protects nurses against quiet quitting, turnover intention, and job burnout

“…Although there is a dearth of literature regarding the relation between emotional intelligence and quiet quitting, evidence suggests a positive impact of emotional intelligence on several work-related variables. In particular, several studies showed that emotional intelligence had a positive effect on work performance [27] – [31] , job satisfaction [9] , [26] , [27] , organizational commitment [44] , and clinical competence [45] among nurses. Since nurses are usually exposed to high levels of responsibility, stress, and emotional demands, emotional intelligence is a crucial tool to achieve the most beneficial outcomes.…”

“…Several studies have investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and work-related variables among nurses. In particular, high emotional intelligence has been linked to higher job satisfaction [9] , [26] , [27] , higher work performance [27] – [31] , higher professional success [32] , less job burnout [9] , [33] , less occupational stress [31] , and lower turnover intentions [34] , [35] . In other words, high emotional intelligence is associated with the most beneficial work-related outcomes (i.e.…”

The level of emotional intelligence among Saudi nursing students: A cross-sectional study

“…EI was measured as the sum of the scores for all 33 items, with a score range of 33–165, where a score between 33 and 77 suggests a low EI level, a score between 78 and 121 indicates a moderate level and a score between 122 and 165 denotes a high level of EI (Schutte et al, 1998 ). The SSEIT is a validated measure that is widely used for assessing EI, with a Cronbach’s alpha ranging from 0.80 to 0.94 (Abou Hashish & Bajbeir, 2018 ; Aldossary et al, 2019 ; Alsufyani et al, 2022 ; Schutte et al, 2007 ). The present research assessed the questionnaire’s reliability by calculating Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a value of 0.93, which was considered to be within normal values.…”