The relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance in a call centre environment

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance in a call centre environment. The sample comprised 135 call centre agents who worked in client services, sales and administrative environments in a life insurance company. The “Emotional Competency Inventory" that was completed by team leaders, was used as a measuring instrument and an overall job performance rating for each participant was provided by the participating organisation. Results show a statistically significant and positive correlation between emotional intelligence and job performance in the call centre environment. The strongest correlation with performance in the total call centre environment occurred in the cluster of selfmanagement and the emotional competency of self-confidence. It was further established that the combination of the emotional competencies emotional self-awareness, trustworthiness, self-confidence and influence explains the greatest degree of variance in job performance in the call centre environment as a whole. Opsomming Die doelstelling van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of daar ’n verband tussen emosionele intelligensie en werkprestasie in ’n oproepsentrum-omgewing bestaan. Die steekproef is saamgestel uit 135 oproepsentrum-agente van ’n lewensversekeringsmaatskappy wat in kliëntediens, verkoops- en administratiewe omgewings werksaam is. Die "Emotional Competency Inventory" wat voltooi is deur spanleiers, is as meetinstrument gebruik en ’n algehele werkprestasietelling vir elke deelnemer is deur die deelnemende organisasie verskaf. Resultate toon ’n statisties beduidende en positiewe korrelasie tussen emosionele intelligensie en werkprestasie in oproepsentrums. Die saamgestelde skaal van selfbestuur en die emosionele bevoegdheid selfvertroue toon die sterkste korrelasie met prestasie in die hele oproepsentrumomgewing. Verder is bevind dat die kombinasie van die emosionele bevoegdhede emosionele selfbewussyn, vertrouenswaardigheid, selfvertroue en invloed die meeste variansie in werksprestasie binne die hele oproepsentrumomgewing verklaar.

Keywords

• Emotional intelligence
• Job performance