Why Emotional Intelligence Assessments Should Be Part of Your Recruitment Strategy

Nowadays, emotional intelligence (EI) is one of the top ways to determine long-term success in the workplace. As a leader in the workplace, you probably understand that certain social and emotional attributes are as important as other hard skills. To build a resilient and well-rounded team, an emotional intelligence assessment in your hiring process goes a long way.

Understanding Emotional Intelligence Assessments

An emotional intelligence assessment measures your capacity to recognise feelings and understand emotions and feelings in others. The primary focus is in areas of empathy, self-regulation, motivation and social skills. These traits are valuable in a workplace, encouraging close-knit work coupled with open lines of communication.

Employers who hire emotionally intelligent individuals see positivity in their employees. They are better able to resolve any conflicts, have the ability to manage pressure efficiently and develop healthy relationships with other members of staff. 

Improving Hiring Accuracy

What it does is refine the accuracy of hiring by providing a deeper look into a candidate’s potential capabilities in the workplace. Firms will have the experience and knowledge of the technical qualifications of their candidates. They will also know the social and emotional capabilities that reveal how a candidate will perform in a team environment.

A candidate may have a highly technical resume but lacks the ability to perform in a highly stressful environment or perform in a fast-paced group environment. On the contrary, hiring emotionally intelligent candidates means they can confront challenges with poise, communicate effectively with peers and establish a solid understanding of tasks. In roles that are heavily dependent on team-oriented roles, the distinction between the two candidates becomes significant in the success of the team.

Enhancing Team Dynamics and Retention

An emotionally-intelligent candidate brings an upbeat atmosphere among colleagues and creates a more cohesive working team. They practise good conflict management so there are minimal arguments and discomfort in the workplace. Establishing a great relationship amongst a team of workers will provide job satisfaction with workers, lowering employee turnover.

Such employees are often adaptable and likely to engage with promoting a positive work culture. They appreciate the importance of teamwork and commit to a role where they feel valued, heard and understood. Using a tool like an emotional intelligence assessment in your hiring process provides the visibility to evaluate a candidate and determine whether they are the right fit. 

Practical Tips for Using EI Assessments in Recruitment

Implementing an emotional intelligence test in your hiring process is a lot easier compared to the perceived challenge. You need to choose a trusted tool that closely matches with your company’s values and objectives. For example, ask the candidate how they dealt with any disputes that arose with colleagues or how they managed a high pressure deadline. You will easily evaluate candidates and how they can fit into a high-performing team.

Conclusion

Emotional intelligence is becoming a basic step in building a high performing, resilient and innovative team. Using an emotional intelligence test will enhance results and set the benchmark for team performance, employee engagement and greater employee retention.