Exploring the Link Between Emotional Intelligence and Training Efficacy from Supervisor’s Rated Performance in the Retail Industry

Abstract

The retail sector is a dynamic and demanding environment, requiring employees to possess a diverse skillset beyond product knowledge and sales techniques. Emotional Intelligence (EI), encompassing selfawareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management, emerges as a crucial factor impacting both training efficacy and performance, as judged by supervisors. EI holds significance in forecasting human behaviour in the workplace. To investigate this, 204 full-time employees were surveyed on their self-reported EI, training experiences, and supervisors’ evaluations of their job performance in both task-related and contextual aspects. Researchers designed a questionnaire based on existing studies and adjusted it to ensure it accurately measured the intended concepts. They tested the questionnaire on a small group of experts, who provided feedback that led to further improvements. Through Sequential Equation Models (SEM), hypotheses were examined. The study showed that EI significantly boosts learning outcomes, how easy learning feels, and how well people perform at work. Additionally, it found that perceiving learning as useful and easy plays a key role in overall learning and ultimately job performance. This suggests that training effectiveness can be improved by people being able to manage their own and others’ emotions. Previous research by Khokhar and Kush (2009) already established a strong link between learning and performance. However, no prior studies have explored how training influences personality traits or looked at the impact of EI on how easy learning feels.