There’s no shortage of stressors in today’s workplace. What role does emotional intelligence play in not letting on-the-job stress get the best of you?

With smaller staffs, higher stress levels and uncertainties about the economy, most employers today are putting more value on the emotional intelligence (EI) of their workers and prospective employees.

When hiring and promoting employees, 34 percent of hiring managers cite greater emphasis on EI — a person’s abilities to control emotions, to sense, understand and react to others’ emotions, and manage relationships — according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey of 2,600 hiring managers and human resource professionals.

The online job-search site’s findings reveal that EI is a critical characteristic in today’s workforce.

“Everybody brings their emotions to work,” Sigal Barsade, co-author of a 2007 paper titled Why Does Affect Matter in Organizations? and a Wharton management professor, tells Knowledge@Wharton. “Feelings drive performance.”

Yet when we get too stressed out due to heavy workloads, looming deadlines or depressing economic headlines, it can be all too easy to let our feelings control us. While some of us may be inclined to adopt a steely demeanor, experts say it’s more effective to display emotions responsibly than not at all.

Monster.com offers this advice from Anne Kreamer, author of It’s Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace: “I think a lot of us feel like we have to put on some kind of armor when we come into the workforce, but, really, no one likes to work for Mr. or Miss Perfect.”

The solution isn’t to pretend the emotions aren’t there, but rather to gain composure. Bottling up feelings can lead to outbursts at the worst possible time. “If you’re keeping it all in because you’re trying to be superhuman and then explode at the 11th hour, that’s not fair either,” Kreamer notes.

Managers should be honest with employees about stressful situations, as workers bottling up emotions can cause more problems in the long run. “If your team doesn’t know that you have a sword hanging over your head that’s making you agitated, they can’t possibly help you in the way you need,” Kreamer says.

It is not always enough to be aware of your own emotions at work, you should also recognize your coworkers’ emotions. By putting your EI to good use, you can work better with others and accomplish more, both as an individual and as a team.

When asked why EI is so important, employers told CareerBuilder that employees with high EI are more likely to:

• Stay calm under pressure;
• Know how to resolve conflict effectively;
• Be empathetic to their team members and react accordingly;
• Lead by example; and
• Make more thoughtful business decisions.

Barsade details a possible scenario where strong EI could prove useful: “Let’s say a sales manager has come up with an amazing idea that will increase corporate revenues by up to 200 percent, but knows his boss tends to be irritable and short-tempered in the morning. Having emotional intelligence means that the manager will first recognize and consider this emotional fact about his boss,” and hold on to the idea until the appropriate time to present it.

Moreover, an emotionally aware boss or coworker can encourage breaks to those who look like they’re in over their head. “If the person looks like they’re going to lose it, suggest that they take a break to go get some air, take a walk and clear their head,” Jodi Glickman, author of Great on the Job, tells Monster. “Allow them to get some distance from the situation to cool off.”

One method of controlling emotional displays is to get to the root of the problem: tackle the stress itself. Helpguide.org provides numerous suggestions to help workers get a handle on stress before it can cause problems.

For one, simply taking care of your health can prepare your mind and body to confront all your responsibilities for the day. Exercising and eating foods low in sugar can keep your body alert and focused throughout the day, allowing you to accomplish tasks and prevent work from piling up. Additionally, avoiding nicotine and alcohol and getting plenty of rest during your off hours can improve your mood in the office.

Additionally, Helpguide suggests implementing organizational tools that help you confront all your assignments. By having a schedule in place, you can focus on the task at hand, not all the other things you have to do. There are also simple tricks to streamline your work behavior, like setting your watch fast so you can be on time and cleaning up your desk to reflect your attitude.

By controlling or limiting stress, you can help reduce emotional triggers that lead to work problems and, by extension, help your employer.

“In a recovering economy,” CareerBuilder’s Rosemary Haefner says, “employers want people who can effectively make decisions in stressful situations and can empathize with the needs of their colleagues and clients to deliver the best results.”

Resources

Seventy-One Percent of Employers Say They Value Emotional Intelligence over IQ…
CareerBuilder.com, Aug. 18, 2011

Stress at Work: Tips to Reduce and Manage Job and Workplace Stress
by Jeanne Segal, Melinda Smith, Lawrence Robinson and Robert Segal
Helpguide.org, June 2011 (last updated)

Why Does Affect Matter in Organizations?
by Sigal G. Barsade and Donald E. Gibson
Academy of Management Perspectives, February 2007

Managing Emotions in the Workplace: Do Positive and Negative Attitudes Drive Performance?
Knowledge @ Wharton, April 18, 2007

Management Skills: Managing Emotions in the Workplace
by Emily Bennington
Monster.com

10 Ways to Manage Emotions During Conflict in the Workplace
by Lawrence Polsky
Human Resources IQ, June 14, 2011