Emotional Intelligence (EI) is becoming an essential part of the recruitment process. The ability to understand and monitor one's own feelings and those of others, to recognise the uniqueness between them, and to use this information to guide thinking and behaviour is increasingly being considered by hiring managers and CHROs.
Research suggests that low EQ is the second most common reason why new recruits fail, yet it's a skill that's typically not evident on their CVs. This highlights the importance of EI in recruitment and its potential to change team dynamics and increase productivity, as well as identifying future leaders.
Looking at the EI components in the interview process, it's clear that they provide valuable insight into a candidate's potential. Using EI assessment in the interview process can help recruiters determine a candidate's ability to handle pressure, work in a team environment and respond to leadership - all of which are critical to success in any role.
Using EI assessment in the hiring process involves identifying key behavioural markers, asking targeted EI interview questions, and using effective emotional intelligence assessment techniques. It's not just a trend, it's a critical aspect of hiring capable, adaptable and effective team members.
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
EI is a psychosocial concept that emphasises the ability to recognise, understand and manage one's own emotions while recognising, understanding and influencing the emotions of others. Its importance in the hiring process is gaining traction as business leaders and CHROs realise that candidates with high EI often outperform their less emotionally savvy counterparts.
The key components of Emotional Intelligence are:
1. Self-awareness: This component involves recognising one's emotions and understanding their impact on work performance and relationships. A candidate who is highly aware of their emotions is more likely to deal effectively with work-related challenges.
2. Self-regulation: Often linked to EI assessment in hiring, self-regulation involves managing disruptive emotions and impulses. For example, a candidate who can adapt smoothly to change or remain calm under pressure demonstrates strong EI.
3. Motivation: This component is related to the drive to exceed expectations - both one's own and those of others. An emotionally intelligent person would be passionate about their work and take on challenges in a positive way.
4. Empathy: Empathy, which is emphasised in interviews, assesses a candidate's ability to understand the emotional make-up of other people and respond appropriately. Candidates with high levels of empathy are better at leading teams and managing conflict.
5. Social skills: An assessment of EI in the interview process would be incomplete without an assessment of social skills. This includes the ability to manage relationships and build networks, which are crucial for collaboration and teamwork.
The benefits of assessing emotional intelligence
The importance of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in the recruitment process has grown significantly. Hiring for emotional intelligence is more than a trend - it is the backbone of a transformative, collaborative and high-performing organisational culture.
According to a study by TalentSmart, individuals with high emotional intelligence earn an average of $29,000 more per year than their counterparts with lower emotional intelligence. This underlines the tangible benefits of EI in the workplace. When organisations make EI assessment a priority in hiring, it paves the way for improved teamwork and synergy. Candidates with high emotional intelligence have better interpersonal skills and empathy, enabling them to foster healthier relationships and build collaborative teams.
Conflict resolution is another area where emotional intelligence has an impact. Conflict is part of every organisation, but it's the skillful navigation of these contentious situations that matters. Candidates who are proficient in the EI components of the interview, such as self-awareness and self-regulation, are able to manage and resolve disputes effectively, thereby promoting a harmonious working environment.
In addition, assessing emotional intelligence in the interview process helps to identify potential leaders. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that 58% of professional success can be attributed to emotional intelligence.
Used appropriately, EI can help identify candidates who are likely to have higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates. Employees with high EI tend to be more resilient, adaptable and better at managing stress, all of which contribute to job satisfaction. Lower turnover rates, in turn, save organisations significant costs and prevent disruption to the workforce.
Integrate EI assessment into the interview process:
First, it is crucial to prepare targeted interview questions that focus on the five main components of EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. For example, questions such as "Can you describe a time when you were aware of your effect on another person?" can provide insight into a candidate's self-awareness. "How do you deal with stress or criticism?" could demonstrate self-regulation and resilience.
Second, the use of behavioural interviewing techniques can be valuable in assessing EI. Behavioural interviewing is based on the premise that past behaviour predicts future performance. With this in mind, asking candidates to give specific examples from the past that relate to EI components can be very revealing. For example, "Tell me about a time when you had to adapt your behaviour to work effectively with a diverse team".
Finally, non-verbal cues and body language offer valuable insights that help assess EI. For example, a candidate's eye contact can indicate their level of confidence and empathy, while their posture can indicate their level of engagement and comfort.
Developing EI interview questions
To comprehensively assess Emotional Intelligence in interviews, it's necessary to break the questionnaire down into the five components discussed earlier. Let's explore tailor-made questions for each component.
Self-awareness questions
Uncovering a candidate's self-awareness helps to understand their ability to perceive their own emotions and how they affect others. Some sample questions might include:
1. Can you tell us about a time when your mood affected the performance of your team? How did you deal with it?
2. How do you respond to criticism and feedback? Can you think of a time when you had to deal with constructive criticism?
Self-regulation questions
Self-regulation interview questions focus on a candidate's emotional control and adaptability. Try asking:
1. Can you describe a stressful situation at work and how you managed your emotional response
2. How do you adapt when unexpected changes occur in your work environment?
Motivation questions
Measuring a candidate's inner drive and passion helps to understand their EI. Ask:
1. What keeps you going in challenging work situations?
2. Can you describe a project or achievement that you consider to be the most significant in your career?
Empathy questions
To gauge how empathetic a candidate is, consider using these questions:
1. Describe a time when you helped a colleague or team member in a difficult professional situation.
2. How do you react when a colleague is going through a difficult time at work?
Social skills questions
Finally, assessing a candidate's social skills reveals their ability to interact and fit into the company culture. You might ask:
1. How would you handle a disagreement with a colleague? Can you give us an example?
2. Tell us about a time when your communication skills made a difference to a project or team.
While these questions provide a starting point, they should be adapted to the specific context and needs of your organisation.
Evaluating non-verbal cues in EI assessment
In the context of EI in interviews, the evaluation of non-verbal cues is of paramount importance. A candidate's body language, facial expressions and tone of voice can provide invaluable insight into their level of emotional intelligence. Non-verbal cues can indicate a candidate's comfort with discussing complex issues, empathy and ability to regulate emotions in high-pressure situations.
Interpreting non-verbal cues effectively requires conscious observation and practice. Here are some tips:
1. Watch facial expressions. A calm, engaged expression may indicate better emotional control and higher EI.
2. Evaluate body language. Open posture and steady eye contact may indicate an emotionally intelligent candidate.
3. Consider tone of voice. A confident yet calm tone can indicate someone with high EI.
Remember that these non-verbal behavioural interpretations should be used in conjunction with other EI assessment techniques in the interview process to provide a holistic assessment of a candidate's emotional intelligence.
Overcoming common challenges in assessing emotional intelligence
Assessing EI in interviews can be challenging. Bias and a lack of structured assessment techniques can often prevent an accurate assessment. To overcome these obstacles, it's important to implement structured interviewing and standardised EI assessment measures.
Bias in hiring EI assessments can be mitigated through behavioural interviewing for EI. By focusing on specific behaviours associated with EI, such as empathy, self-awareness and self-regulation, rather than personal attributes, recruiters can assess candidates more impartially.
Standardising emotional intelligence assessment techniques also helps to maintain consistency in the assessment process. EI interview questions should be designed to probe each component of EI accurately. For example, asking a candidate how they have handled a conflict in the past can reveal their ability to manage relationships - a key component of EI.
Remember, the importance of EI in hiring is paramount, but the assessment process must be free of bias and inconsistency. A well-thought-out strategy can help manage emotional intelligence in interviews and contribute to a more effective interview process.
Conclusion
Incorporating Emotional Intelligence into interviews has a significant impact on the success of your hiring process. From enabling EI assessment in hiring to framing interview questions around EI, considering emotional intelligence goes a long way towards hiring the right talent. Recognising the importance of EI in hiring and effectively using EI components in interviews not only fosters a positive work environment, but also helps to identify candidates who can manage their emotions and cope effectively with stress in the workplace.
Behavioural interviewing for EI and the use of precise Emotional Intelligence assessment techniques can help in assessing Emotional Intelligence with finer precision, bringing clarity to the EI assessment in the interview process. Remember, hiring for Emotional Intelligence isn't just about assessing candidates, it's about creating a workforce that thrives on understanding, empathy and collaboration.
To delve deeper into the realm of Emotional Intelligence in the hiring process and explore versatile hiring solutions and tools that facilitate EI assessment, we invite you to explore LinkedIn Talent Solutions, designed to take your hiring to the next level.
