Browsing by Author "Herman, Carl R."

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    Development emotional intelligence for increased work engagement, organisational commitment, and satisfaction with work life
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-03) Herman, Carl R.; Gorgens, Gina; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Highly competitive organisations are aware that their competitive edge lies within their human capital. In order for such organisation to stay ahead investing in best practices regarding people management and development is of paramount importance. In recent times, work engagement has been empirically linked to many positive organisational outcomes (Bakker, Demerouti, & Verbeke, 2004; Salanova, Agut, & Peiro, 2005; Schaufeli, Taris, & Bakker, 2006a). However, research on practical organisational interventions, aimed at increasing work engagement, is scant. Engaged employees often experience positive emotions (Bakker & Demerouti, 2008). Happy people are more sensitive to opportunities at work, more outgoing and helpful to others, more confident when interacting with others and more optimistic when taking on challenges. According to Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter, and Taris (2008) engagement not only stems from job resources, but from personal resources as well. Building on Fredrickson’s (2000) Broad and Build theory of positive emotions, it is argued in this study that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a personal resource that has not been studied in relation to work engagement. EI refers to the capacity to effectively perceive, express, understand and manage emotions in a professional and effective manner at work (Palmer & Stough, 2001). EI regulation abilities (e.g. emotional management and control) help increase individuals’ coping and / or resilience when more positive affect is experienced, according to Fredrickson’s Broad and Build theory, and should therefore be a particularly important personal resource for the enhancement of work engagement. The development of EI has progressively been gaining positive momentum and various studies have provided empirical support to suggest that EI can be developed (Dulewicz & Higgs, 2004; Fletcher, Leadbetter, Curran, & O’Sullivan, 2009; Gardner, 2005; Gorgens-Ekermans, 2011; Nelis, Quoidbach, Mikolajczak, & Hansenne, 2009; Slaski & Cartwright, 2003). By using the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUEIT) theoretical framework, it is argued that by developing emotional recognition and regulation abilities, specifically that of emotional management, employees would be better able to manage their positive and negative emotions, thereby improving their positive psychological state at work, which should increase their level of engagement. It is furthermore argued that increased EI will also affect other positive organisational outcomes, such as organisational commitment and satisfaction with work life. To this end, an EI training intervention programme was implemented and evaluated within an international courier company based in Cape Town, South Africa. A controlled experimental design (two-group pre- and post-test design) was utilised for the research. The EI training programme was evaluated in terms of its effect on EI, work engagement, organisational commitment and satisfaction with work life. A second objective of the study was to investigate and replicate previous research on the interrelationships between the constructs in the study within a South African sample. The total sample consisted of 35 full time employees. Three assessments were conducted (one week before the start of the intervention, immediately after the completion of the training, and two and a half months thereafter) The findings of the study demonstrated limited empirical support for the notion that EI training could improve levels of EI. Although definite trends to suggest this were evident in the data, the results were not statistically significant. Empirical evidence further suggested partial and weak support for work engagement and satisfaction with work life levels increasing as a result of the intervention. Unfortunately no support for organisational commitment levels improving as a result of the training was found. In terms of exploring and replicating the interrelationships between the constructs in the study, favourable results were found. Significant positive relationships emerged between all the related constructs. The results, however, need to be interpreted in terms of the limitations that were identified for this study. The results suggest that more research is required in this domain.