COVID-19: How the stress generated by the pandemic may affect work performance through the moderating role of emotional intelligence

Max Sadovyy; Martín Sánchez-Gómez; Edgar Bresó

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.110986

COVID-19: How the stress generated by the pandemic may affect work performance through the moderating role of emotional intelligence

Pers Individ Dif. 2021 Oct:180:110986. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110986. Epub 2021 May 12.

Authors

Max Sadovyy¹, Martín Sánchez-Gómez¹, Edgar Bresó¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Evolutionary, Educational, Social Psychology and Methodology, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the moderating effect of emotional intelligence (EI) in the direct impact of the stress generated by the pandemic on work performance and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) in a multioccupational sample of 1048 professionals (60.7% women). The participants filled the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Impact of Event Scale 6 and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire. The results proved a relationship between Covid stress, performance and EI, which has a moderating effect between the stress and both indicators of performance, even when sociodemographic variables were controlled. In essence, professionals with high levels of EI and low Covid stress showed the highest performance and the lowest CWB when compared to those who presented less emotional capabilities and higher stress. These results confirm the importance of EI in improving the effectiveness of work performance and reinforce the role of EI as a protective variable that can safeguard occupational health.

Keywords: COVID-19; Emotional intelligence; Post-traumatic stress disorder; SARS-CoV-2; Stress; Work performance.