The Effect of Emotional Intelligence on the Political and Work Skills of DENR Employee in the Post-Pandemic Era

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of emotional intelligence on the political and work skills of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) employees in Region XI during the post-pandemic era. The study objectives are to determine the levels of political skills, work engagement, and emotional intelligence among DENR employees in Region XI, and to examine whether emotional intelligence plays a mediating role in the relationship between political skills and work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a descriptive-correlational analysis, data was collected from a sample of 282 DENR employees, with the sample size determined using Taro Yamane’s formula. The findings revealed that interpersonal influence had the highest mean among the indicators of political skills, indicating its frequent manifestation among DENR employees. Additionally, self-awareness exhibited the highest mean among the indicators of emotional intelligence, highlighting its significant presence. Moreover, emotional work engagement obtained the highest mean, demonstrating its consistent occurrence along with the other indicators. Significant correlations were observed between political skills and work engagement, emotional intelligence and political skills, and emotional intelligence and work engagement, rejecting the null hypothesis. Furthermore, the study uncovered a significant mediating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between political skills and work engagement, suggesting that employees with higher emotional intelligence are more likely to be actively engaged in their work. Such heightened emotional intelligence enables DENR employees to effectively manage their own emotions and understand the emotions of others, thereby facilitating the navigation of complex social and political dynamics through a deeper comprehension of diverse perspectives and motivations. Based on these findings, it is recommended that DENR employees engage in self-assessments of their emotional intelligence skills, reflecting on their behaviors, attitudes, and interactions with others. Furthermore, comprehensive training courses, seminars, and workshops led by professionals should be provided to actively enhance emotional intelligence competencies.