How to Improve Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: A Practical Guide

It's not enough to just have technical skills to be successful anymore. As machines take over repetitive activities, the things that make individuals unique are things that machines can't do, like empathy, adaptability, and self-awareness. All of these traits are part of emotional intelligence (EQ), which is becoming more and more important for creating great teams, competent managers, and better workplaces.



Learning about and enhancing EQ is more than helping people do better; it also changes how businesses work. This article talks about how to improve emotional intelligence in the workplace for both employees and employers and why it's important for success at work.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

In the 1990s, psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer first came up with the idea. Daniel Goleman later made it more widely known.  Contrary to popular belief, EQ has little or nothing to do with IQ.  IQ tests how smart people are, whereas EQ tests how effectively we can detect, interpret, and deal with our feelings.  Two campletely different things.

Although improving emotional intelligence is seen as a sign of a responsible employee, only about 36% of workers in America are capable of accurately identifying their own feelings. Luckily, numerous online evaluations, like the Breeze test, based on the trusted Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), are widely used in companies to measure employees' emotional abilities.

5 Tips on How to Improve Your EQ at Work

Improving EQ at work is not about forcing artificial positivity or taking on more side projects. In fact, if done right, it will make work easier. Here are five proven, research-based ways to improve your emotional intelligence at work:

1.    Engage in Group Activities and Offer Help

• Volunteer to participate in group projects.
• Ask for help or for an explanation with the primary aim of connecting with other colleagues.
• If you have social anxiety, try recording yourself and working on the things that bother you the most.

EQ grows in places where people work together. When you volunteer to work on a joint endeavor or just offer to help a coworker reach a deadline, you develop empathy and improve your social skills. This not only builds goodwill, but it also helps you understand what other people need and respond in the right way. Asking, "Do you need help with this?" is a small thing that can help your EQ and your team's trust.

2.    Observe Colleagues (Without Overstepping)

• Listen when colleagues talk to you, especially if they are sharing valuable work insights or details about their personal lives.
• If a teammate is visibly good at something, ask for a short introductory meeting on this topic so that you can bond over a common project.
• Don't interfere with their work or conversations unless you are invited to take part in it.

To be emotionally intelligent, you need to be able to see structures in how people act. For example, you might notice that one of your teammates shuts down during demanding meetings while another gets excited during brainstorming sessions. These insights let you change the way you talk to others. The key is to observe without judgment or intrusion. So don't turn into a spy!

3.    Connect Every Task to Your Values

• Determine what you value the most in life, such as inner peace, self-improvement, comfort, helping others, etc.
• When starting a new task, think about how it relates to what you value the most in life.
• After finishing a task, think or write about how the result brought you closer to your moral compass.

One of the most important parts of EQ is motivation. It gets stronger when the things you have to do are in line with what you care about. If you want to grow, think of tasks that you do over and over as practice. If you value creativity, look for methods to be creative, even if they are small.

4.    Visit EQ Training Sessions or Workshops

• TalentSmartEQ is an absolute leader in providing comprehensive and reliable EQ training for different industries.
• Coursera for short, but meaningful changes.
• Harvard University EQ training is one of the most trusted and reputable forms of this kind of training.

Formal training programs can accelerate your growth. Workshops on emotional regulation, mindfulness, or active listening help employees apply EQ concepts in real scenarios. Companies increasingly reimburse these trainings because they boost workplace morale and reduce conflicts.

5.    Ask Your Manager to Integrate EQ Into Performance Reviews

Many organizations focus on hard metrics, but just as many are starting to introduce soft skills into their performance reviews. Suggesting EQ-related goals (e.g., handling conflict constructively or providing empathetic feedback) encourages accountability. This also demonstrates initiative and highlights emotional intelligence as a legitimate workplace strength.

How to Improve the EQ of Teams

While individual EQ can transform personal careers, teamwide EQ drives the whole company culture. Here are proven strategies to use in the workplace if you’re a manager or team leader:

Assess Your Teams

The first step is measurement. Conduct surveys, anonymous check-ins, or even group EQ assessments. Find attached below the comparison table of the most popular measurement scales, their benefits, and drawbacks. Identifying blind spots helps leaders choose the right interventions. For instance, if employees report frequent miscommunication, you can adjust your performance reviews to include conflict resolution training.

Organize EQ Training and Reimburse Expenses

Formal learning settings help people learn the same language and skills. When teams go to workshops together, they work on empathy, active listening, and problem-solving as a group. To improve teamwork, big companies like Google and Microsoft spend a lot of money on emotional intelligence training. Paying for charges reminds workers that the company cares about more than just technical skills.

Improve Your Own EQ as a Leader

Team EQ starts with leadership. Managers and leaders who demonstrate self-awareness, regulate their reactions under stress, and show empathy set the tone for the group. Small steps, such as openly admitting mistakes or actively asking for feedback, make leaders approachable. The more trust you collect, the better it will be for you to assess the team's EQ and foster its benefits.

Recent research also indicates that managers who improve emotional intelligence in the workplace have team members with more positive attitudes toward work. This is especially noticeable in virtual working environments, where employees can lack human connection and a sense of belonging.

Give Feedback, But Also Ask for It

Balanced feedback cycles normalize growth. Instead of only pointing out errors, include acknowledgment of strengths. At the same time, invite feedback about your own performance.

Set Achievable, Measurable Goals

Setting clear goals makes people less frustrated and more motivated. When workers know what is expected of them and how performance will be measured, they feel more in charge. Make huge goals into smaller, more doable steps. Go back to them often to celebrate accomplishments and make changes when needed. This helps keep people motivated and creates a culture of growth.

Encourage Use of Learned Skills

After EQ workshops, integrate learned skills into daily practices. For example, start meetings with short mindfulness exercises or use structured communication techniques (like "I feel… when…" statements). Without reinforcement, new skills fade and efforts feel forced.

Spend Time Together Off Work (If Comfortable)

Shared experiences outside the office, like volunteering, sports, or informal dinners, strengthen bonds because gets to explore new sides of their mates. Importantly, participation should always be optional to respect boundaries. When done right, off-work activities deepen empathy and help team members see each other as actual human beings with feelings and flaws.

4 Benefits of High Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

When emotional intelligence is nurtured in the workplace, the effects go far beyond individual performance. An independent study of TalentSmartEQ showed that 90% of top achievers actually have high emotional intelligence, meaning they’re empathetic, self-aware, and highly motivated. And there are more benefits, too:

1.    Improved Teamwork

High EQ enables employees to recognize sensitive cues and respond constructively. Conflicts are addressed early, and disagreements become opportunities for collaboration. For example, when someone voices frustration, an emotionally intelligent colleague reframes the issue instead of escalating it. This is a safety net that makes teams more resilient and adaptable.

2.    Higher Productivity

Employees who feel understood and supported are more motivated to deliver. EQ helps managers identify when someone is burned out, redirect workloads, and encourage self-care. This proactive approach sustains long-term productivity and reduces costly mistakes caused by stress or miscommunication.

3.    Higher Earnings

Emotional intelligence affects more than just the culture at work; it also affects how much money people make! Studies show that people with EQ can make up to $29,000 more a year than people with low EQ. In fact, for every percentage point improvement in scores, the average wage goes up by nearly $1,300 a year.

4.    Reduced Staff Turnover

Workplaces with high EQ see lower turnover of staff. Employees are less likely to leave when their emotional needs are acknowledged and their contributions recognized. From the company’s point of view, this reduces recruitment costs and preserves in-company knowledge.

Final Thoughts

High EQ at work creates a win-win for everyone. An empathetic and motivated worker will know why they do their work. Feeling like every day you work on something valuable will engage more people, and they’re more likely to go above and beyond. Meanwhile, a manager who practices emotional intelligence will provide their teams with the resources they need to be productive.

Although the concept of emotional intelligence might look hard to grasp, it’s actually very easy. In essence, know what to do, talk to people, and help others.  That makes sense, doesn’t it?