Investigating moderating role of emotional intelligence among counterproductive work behavior, work interference and negative emotions in development sector of Pakistan

Abstract

This study reveals the worth of Emotional Intelligence (EI) to act as a moderator in undertaking the worst effects of Counterproductive Work Behavior (CWB) influenced by negative emotions and work interference. Contract based employees of the non-profit organizations in development sector of Pakistan were targeted. The responses were obtained in time lags of two weeks to overcome the issues of cross-sectional data and self-serving bias. The 258 fully responded questionnaires by the targeted employees were analyzed in SPSS. The results emphasized that negative emotions and work interference predicts CWB and EI act as a moderator in this relationship. Employees having low EI engaged more in CWB confirming the predictive relationship. It is recommended that the management needs to underline the significance of EI at all levels of the organization for desirable behaviors at workplace. Implications were deliberated to overcome CWB through high and low levels of EI.