Emotional Intelligence Success Strategies of HR Leaders Post Covid

There are numerous ways HR can create value for an organization using emotional intelligence in the post Covid-19 era.

Lately, something seems to be lost in the discussion on compensation packages, policy updates, and hiring and on-boarding processes. It's lurking in the shadows as a spotlight shines on the emerging field of HR Tech , which is enhancing, yet simultaneous disrupting the very foundations of HR.

Human Resources is about managing people.

This may not seem like some earth-shattering insight. But, it's the fundamental, guiding principle by which all HR departments should operate. Today, HR Tech is doing much more than automating administrative back office work. Bots are already being used to screen candidates, schedule interviews, and even answer candidates' questions, all while sophisticated algorithms are predicting who will likely succeed at their jobs and who will leave.

While this may give HR professionals added insight and free up a lot of time, it raises an important issue: If Human Resources is about managing people, and people are inseparable from their emotions, then in order to do Human Resources management right you need emotional intelligence (EQ). No amount of Artificial Intelligence will ever be enough.

Why HR Needs to Have a High Level of EQ

No other department is tasked with handling so many emotive employee experiences. From the hiring interview to the first day on the job, from conversations about promotions or training to complaints and grievances, HR even has a hand in those last days at work.

At these moments being able to observe and understand an employee’s responses is critical in order to provide the necessary support. Such support can ultimately help to keep employees engaged, and retain top talent, as well as inform leaders about key employee trends. It's what will keep teams working and systems moving at optimal performance. This in turn, helps organizations stay productive and true to their core mission and values.

But, no such thing can happen unless HR professionals are in touch with their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. This is even more true today in the wake of Covid-19. The persistent rise in remote work arrangements have created a new need for EQ. In fact post Covid-19, companies are actively incorporating EQ into key decision-making involving hiring, performance and talent management. The HR department is thus empowered to lead the way to building a workforce that is happy, engaged and productive even in challenging times and circumstances.

What Changes with High EQ Human Resources?

?Companies that really want sustainable success ought to ensure that those who work in?HR have high levels of EQ-- whether they are naturally gifted with the ability or they receive training to improve it. Since it is a critical success factor, it can have a major impact on many areas of a company.

Here are some of the areas in which HR’s Emotional Intelligence can create value for an organization:

Revamp Hiring and On-Boarding

Guided by EQ, HR will be inspired to hire prospective candidates who can themselves demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence. Namely, this means candidates who know how to handle stressful situations, seek out solutions to problems, work with together with others, and express empathy.

Not only will recruiters (and their bots) be tasked with searching for candidates who possess these qualities, but even interviews will be structured to highlight such characteristics. Candidates could then be assessed on their EQ skills through their responses. Such an assessment would be based on much more than the candidate's verbal reply. It would also include subjective measures, such as body language, demeanor, and tone of voice.

Improve Performance

The Human Resources Department plays a central role in an organization's performance management. Not only is HR heavily involved with designing and implementing?performance?appraisals, the?HR?team also acts as mediator between the employee and reporting manager.

When conflict arises, empathy, social skills and other EQ-related qualities can help to diffuse difficult situations. An approach with understanding will also encourage employees to speak up on the matters that are important to them. HR will in turn learn what matters the most their employees, what motivates them, and what obstacles they face while on the job.

For example, post Covid-19, employees working from home need higher levels of regular feedback and reviews, as well as moments of acknowledgment, validation, or even simple gratitude for a good performance.

Enhance Career Development and Training Initiatives

The HR department is also responsible for mapping out various paths to career development and training programs for professionals. HR both guides employees along the career path and assists in development of the plan that will be used to get to the final destination.?

By paying attention to both employee feedback and performance appraisals, HR can help to identify the skill set for both soft or hard skills that is needed to support a given employee's career development plans. Training programs can also be designed for business leadership to help them strengthen their ability to motivate employees, listen to feedback, show empathy, and promote a positive work environment.

Foster High Levels of Employee Engagement

Happy and motivated employees are generally the ones who are committed to their jobs and the organizational goals. According to a study ?by the Harvard Business Review, organizations that embrace EQ report better employee engagement and significantly higher levels of productivity than those that do not. This has a big impact on business success.?Gallup poll reports?that highly engaged workplaces produce 20% higher sales, 21% higher overall profitability, 10% higher customer ratings and 67% lower turnover.?

The HR department, much like the company's top leadership, sets the tone and company culture that can be harnessed to foster open communication, truly appreciate and reward hard work, and inspire creative thinking.

Part of this equation also involves caring about the mental and physical health of employees. HR can use EQ to gauge the emotional and mental health issues of employees at an individual level and provide personalized support before a difficult situation becomes worse.

While it may be more exciting to talk about how smart technology is transforming the way Human Resource Departments function, when HR is focused on EQ and is promoting it within the company, it can have a very big impact on the most important business metrics: employee retention, productivity, job satisfaction, profitability. Post-Covid-19, at a time when the world is still full of uncertainty and social constructs have been turned on their head, the importance of EQ as a core HR competency is greater than ever before.

?About the Author

Robert Moment is an EQ Expert and ICF Certified Executive Coach and Author of High Emotional Intelligence for Managers , What is Emotional Intelligence and Executive Coaching.?Robert specializes in helping new executives achieve peak performance by identifying and removing their blind spots for business success.

?This success is achieved coaching new executives in the On Boarding Peak Performance Program (90 Day, 6 Month, 12 Month Programs) for rapid results. Risk FREE On Boarding.

Robert is Certified to deliver The Social + Emotional Intelligence Profile-Self (SEIP) ? Assessment, the most comprehensive, scientifically validated, and statistically reliable instrument on the market and review the results with clients and create a comprehensive developmental action plan. This includes the workplace and 360-versions as well as self and adult editions.??

?Schedule a 30 Minute Discovery Call and gain , clarity , focus , strategy and direction on how to achieve your executive goals. No selling. No fluff.

Click to schedule?https://www.calendly.com/robertmoment/30min

Visit https://www.HighEmotionalIntelligence.com and Download the FREE Special Report titled, “9 Blind Spots New Executives Need to Avoid to Succeed”.

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