Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: A Tesco Case Study

This report provides a comprehensive overview of emotional intelligence (EI) in the workplace, emphasizing its importance for employees, managers, and leaders. It begins by defining EI and its core elements: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, referencing frameworks like Goleman's five domains and Bradberry's model. The report presents a business case study of Tesco, illustrating how the company utilizes EI strategies to enhance employee engagement, teamwork, and overall wellbeing, especially in the context of remote working and the challenges of the pandemic. It explores the benefits of high EI for both employees (improved teamwork, positive work culture) and management (increased morale, effective leadership). The report also discusses the importance of EI for different groups of workers and provides guidance for managers on developing their own EI skills, including empathy and self-management. Finally, it includes a self-reflection component, assessing the author's current emotional abilities, and concludes by highlighting the crucial role of EI in fostering a positive and productive work environment, promoting organizational growth and resilience. The report emphasizes the impact of EI on employee wellbeing, performance, and stress management within the context of Tesco's organizational structure and objectives.

Developing Emotional
Intelligence Skills for the
Workplace
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Emotional intelligence is a crucial element for an individual whether they are employee,
manager, leader or any individual within the company. With the help of this they can have strong
competitive growth while managing their emotions. The present report include concept
importance and various elements of emotional intelligence with the help of framework like
Bradbery and Goleman's five domains. The present report include discussion on Tesco which is
operating in the retail industry and have strategies and policies to develop emotional intelligence
of employees. The report include discussion on various concept of employee engagement and
benefits of emotional intelligence in enhancing employees morale, self awareness and teamwork.
Along with this self reflection which determines my current emotional ability to understand
others and situation is also being discussed.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MEANING OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGNECE AND ASSOCIATED FRAMEWORKS AND
RELATED CONCEPTS..................................................................................................................4
Emotional Intelligence (EI)....................................................................................................4
Identify Areas of EI................................................................................................................4
Associated Frameworks of EI................................................................................................4
BUSINESS CASE OF TESCO........................................................................................................5
Benefits for employees of having high levels of EI themselves............................................5
Benefits of management understanding/demonstrating EI and related concepts...................6
Concepts that can high levels of EI improve and its Importance to both management and
employees...............................................................................................................................6
IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS OF
WORKERS......................................................................................................................................6
Organisational benefits of resource investment into employee wellbeing particularly with
regard to those working remotely...........................................................................................6
Impact of Pandemic on Employee Well-being and Remote working....................................7
Organisational benefits of high levels of employee wellbeing..............................................7
GUIDANCE FOR MANAGERS ON DEVELOPING THEIR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 7
Aspects managers should focus on with regard to developing their emotional intelligence..7
Empathy & Sympathy............................................................................................................7
Feasibility study and the resources organisations would need to develop EI........................7
REFELECTION...............................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Emotional intelligence is termed as an ability to manage self-emotion as well other
individuals emotions. There are mainly five primary elements to emotional intelligence that are
self-regulation, self-awareness, social skills, motivation and empathy. This is basically defined as
a capability of an individual to control and manage their emotion as well as have ability to
control others emotions in an effective manner (Arghode, 2022). Emotional intelligence in
today’s time period plays important role in both personal and professional life, as it helps
individual to undertake effective decisions while having concern do of others.
The present report is conducted on Tesco which is operating as a leading organization in the
retail industry and was founded in the year 1990. The present report include discussion on the
concept of emotional intelligence along with benefits of having employees with high level of
emotional intelligence. In addition to this importance of emotional intelligence of different group
of focus and guidance for managers to develop their emotional intelligence is also being included
in this report.
MEANING OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGNECE AND ASSOCIATED
FRAMEWORKS AND RELATED CONCEPTS
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Emotional intelligence is defined as in capability of a person to handle their own as well as
other person emotions with the help of emphasise on various elements like overcoming
challenges, managing stress level, resolving conflicts, proper communication etc (Alba-Juez and
Pérez-Gonzalez, 2019). In business environment emotional intelligence plays important role as
it allows a person to develop their personal and professional growth. In business environment
emotional intelligence plays important role as it allows a person to develop their personal and
professional growth while undertaking effective decisions.
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Identify Areas of EI
There are there are various forms of areas of emotional intelligence which allow
individuals to have an ability to possess emotional content, some of these are being defined
below:
Self-management
This is mainly defined as an ability to manage and control self-behaviour, feelings and
emotions to undertake proper decisions according to the situation.
Self-awareness
It is basically an ability in which individual have self-emotional intelligence which
emphasise on determining own behaviour and thoughts that affects self-emotion (Baba, 2020).
With the help of this one can determine the restaurants and weakness and can further implement
strategies to overcome them.
Social awareness:
It is essentially considered as having compassion to figure out individuals around
ourselves. Social mindfulness or compassion assists with understanding areas of strength for the
that influence individuals, their feelings, sentiments, concerns and necessities and assist with
adjusting socially.
Relationship management
This is an ability in which individuals have capability and tendency to maintain and
develop positive and strong relationships with others around the environment, with the help of
emphasising on factors like teamwork positive work practices resolving conflicts etc.
Associated Frameworks of EI
Goleman’s Five Domains of EI:
The concept of emotional intelligence was developed by scientific journalist,
psychologist and author Daniel Goleman in the year 1995 in emotional intelligence book (Blaik
Hourani, 2020). According to him there are five important aspects which formulate emotional
intelligence in which some of these are defined below:
Self-awareness
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It is the most important element of emotional intelligence which stress upon an individual
capability to determine their own behaviour, thoughts. weaknesses and strength which affects
their emotions.
Self-regulation
This is mainly associated with handling different situations with the help of decision making and
undertake quick response to make positive decisions in effective manner (Wolcott, 2018).
Motivation
This is the other element which has been evaluated by Goleman that aid to improve
emotional intelligence by offering encouragement to individual by providing higher
performance.
Figure 1 Goleman's Five Domain of EI
Empathy
It is defined as in capability to have proper understanding of emotions of other
individuals and further undertake proper decision making in a situation to assure positive
outcomes. This helps in having proper understanding of work by analysing situation with an
emphatic attitude.
Social awareness
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This is defined as an ability of person to have social awareness of individuals and
situations and further with the help of empathic and positive attitude understand individuals’
emotions, concern and feeling and guide them in a positive manner (Botey, 2020).
Bradberry
Travis Bradbery and Jean Greaves underlines emotional intelligence concept in emotional
intelligence 2.0 book. This book mainly elaborates a procedure to fulfil better form of emotional
intelligence that will allow an individual to conduct their work and achieve goals in effective
manner (Vesely-Maillefer and Saklofske, 2018). There are different forms of elements which
requires by individual to improve their performance which is defined below:
Relationship management
This is mainly defined as an ability to develop and have positive relationship ties with
others (Takšić, 2018). With the help of taking use of elements like teamwork, communication,
efficient resolve meant of conflicts etc.
Social awareness
It is basically underlines as an ability in which individuals with the help of emphatic
attitude have proper understanding of other individuals’ behaviour and further guide them with
the help of understanding various elements that affects individual feelings emotions concerns in
effective manner (Brackett, 2018).
Self-awareness
This is defined as an other important element of emotional intelligence which emphasise
on determining behaviour and thoughts in the manner in which it affects other individuals
emotion. With the help of this one can develop self confidence with the help of determining own
weaknesses and strengths.
Self-management
It is an ability to manage and control others impulsive behaviour and manage their emotions
according to the dynamic elements in situations.
BUSINESS CASE OF TESCO
Tesco plc is operating as leading organization in retail industry. This was founded in the
year 1990 and offers wide range of production services to customers. In order to compete in this
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business environment company employees and managers have shifted their activities such as
sales, consumer, service, accounting marketing via digital tools and techniques (Chen and Wang,
2019). This creates high level of complexities that lead towards generating emotional stress in
employees. In this the emotional intelligence of employees in the respective company stress upon
providing them support in performing roles and responsibilities from remote areas.
Benefits for employees of having high levels of EI themselves
Improved teamwork
With the help of having high level of emotional intelligence employees can perform their
work efficiently in team (Srivastava and Dey, 2019). This will help in enhancing overall team
productivity which increases satisfaction among employees high emotional intelligence also
develop employees to be thoughtful respectful towards others.
Positive work culture
With the help of high emotional intelligence employees can have benefit in terms of
creating a positive culture which allow them to have a supportive respectful interest worthy
colleagues that will help in solving problems and conflicts in effective manner (Christianson,
2020).
Change management
High emotional intelligence benefits employees to adopt changes in effective manner
which benefits them to perform their roles and responsibilities effectively irrespective of the
situation.
Highly self-aware employees
In an organization to identify own capabilities employees and take advantage of feedback
to develop them professionally and personally.
Greater self-control
Emotional intelligence benefit employees to have self-control and conduct their operations
in complex situations in effective manner.
Benefits of management understanding/demonstrating EI and related concepts
Increased employee morale
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Management and understanding of emotional intelligence offers a primary benefit in
terms of enhancing employees morale as well as satisfaction which allowed them to perform
their roles and responsibility with great dedication and motivation (Schlegel and Mortillaro,
2019).
Compassion
This is one of the most effective benefits of emotional intelligence, as it encourage
employees to perform their responsibilities with a compassion to enhance their performance
effectiveness and handle situations in more efficient manner (Cox, 2018).
Time management
Emotional intelligence facilitates to perform roles and responsibilities in appropriate
timing, as it benefit workers to manage various activities and accomplish organizational goals as
per the time target.
Change management
Is a lot simpler on the grounds that the sincerely insightful representatives figure out the
requirement for change inside the association and sovereign the progressions for their
development and the development of the association (Prentice, 2020).
Effective leaders
It has been underlined that it that helps in making improvement in profitability and
productivity as it helps in making improvement in profitability and productivity of company by
depicting values of workers within organization.
Organisational growth
Emotional intelligence facilitate employees to enhance overall growth of organization as
it benefits them to perform their responsibility with high compassion and competitiveness which
encourage them to overcome challenges in more effective manner.
Positive Organisational environment
Intelligence facilitate positive organization environment which enhance employee overall
which enhance employee overall satisfaction and motivation level and facilitate them to conduct
their work in respectful and supportive manner towards others (Cui, 2021).
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Concepts that can high levels of EI improve and its Importance to both management and
employees
Wellbeing and Performance:
Emotional intelligence plays important role in enhancing wellbeing and performance of
employees as it prepares them in psychological manner. Through this they can improve their
interpersonal relationship which they can improve their interpersonal relationship (Perkins and
Schmid, 2019). With the help this TESCO can make improvement in employees performance.
With the help of CIPD Key Domains Tesco can make improvement in employees performance
as well as well being on simultaneous basis.
Managing stress:
High emotional intelligence facilitates employees to manage stress in an effective
manner. With the help of this they can conduct their roles and responsibilities in effective way
and can handle psychological as well as emotional stress efficiently (Elshall, 2020). In this HSE
management standard, business, legal and moral cases are important which has been
implemented by Tesco in order to provide comfortable workspace environment.
Empathy:
This element plays important role as it facilitates employees to have an emphatic nature
towards organization and other individual in workplace. This helps in creating a positive
workplace environment and allows employees and managers to overcome challenges effectively
while having a better relationship promotes growth (Oliver, 2020).
IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR DIFFERENT
GROUPS OF WORKERS
Organisational benefits of resource investment into employee wellbeing particularly with regard
to those working remotely
‘Whole Self, Best Self’ Strategy implemented by Tesco:
The entire self, best self plans to make a work culture where the labor force is engaged to
be totally drawn in with their work.
Empathetic Managers and Leaders:
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The Company has zeroed in on working on their administration and the board from the
front so they are more sympathetic towards their work power and partners with the goal that all
that work space can be made.
Nationwide Colleague Well-being Programme:
With the assistance of this program Tesco has created ceaseless partner listening channels
that assistance and answer the workers with their concerns (Gribble, 2018). This gives emotional
wellness backing and in general prosperity of the representatives who are telecommuting or
inside the Tesco shops.
Physical, nutritional and Mental Well-being:
Tesco has additionally centered around raising specific missions like staple guide day, Gynae
heath, and so on to work on actual prosperity at working environment. Additionally, Tesco has
likewise centered around working on psychological wellness by utilizing Headspace and Mental
Well-being devices so direction and counsel to the specialists can be furnished or supporting
them with additional wellbeing (Nayar, 2020).
There are many benefits that Tesco has achieved by using these strategies and programmes
that are under given.
Enhanced teamwork
With the help of these strategies Tesco can encourage teamwork which helps employees
to perform their roles and responsibility in a better workplace environment and allow
organization to satisfy customers (Gültekin and Icigen, 2019).
Self-aware employees
It also helps organization to have self-aware employees in which they can use their own
strengths to conduct work in more effective manner.
Boosted employee morale
It also helps in enhancing employees morale level which encourage their satisfaction
level and further allow company like Tesco to maintain their leading position in market
(Mysirlaki and Paraskeva, 2020).
Influential managers and leaders
With the help of this influential leaders and manage risk and make increase in employees
performance and productivity which also helps in developing positive value of organization
inefficient manner.
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Organisational change management
These programs also helps in having emotional intelligent employees which further
benefit company to manage changes in effective manner for long term growth and
competitiveness.
Profitable growth
This can be achieved when in organization have talented, satisfied and emotionally
intelligent workforce as it allows them to overcome any complex situation in effective manner
(Hurley, 2020).
Impact of Pandemic on Employee Well-being and Remote working
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has adverse impact on each and every industry
around the globe. It not only affected organization ability to generate profit and satisfy customers
but also negatively impact on employee wellbeing. Due to Covid-19 crisis government around
the world imposed lockdown and strict measures which lead employees to perform their work
from remote areas. This created emotional, mental and physical stress among employees that
affected them in adverse manner (Jiménez, 2018). It also affected organization to undertake use
of strong practices to encourage balanced life cycle which affected employees growth. In order
to overcome this challenge Tesco implement various strategies to improve emotional intelligence
in order to provide support to employees during remote working.
Organisational benefits of high levels of employee wellbeing
Employee engagement
With the help of high level of emotional wellbeing organization can have benefit in terms
of increase in employee engagement, which promote higher performance as well as productivity
and also helps in developing strong relationship (Mekpor and Dartey-Baah, 2020).
Less unhealthy working practices:
High level of employee wellbeing facilitates less unhealthy workplace practice which promotes
less disputes, clashes and conflicts among employees and managers (Kaiafas, 2021). It helps in
reducing stress which affects employees mental and emotional wellbeing and further encourage
respectful, supportive workplace environment.
Seen as ‘employer of choice’:
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