How Does Emotional Intelligence Influence Job Performance? A Case Study Among Sales Personnel in Central Region of Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance among sales personnel in sports retail companies. This is a quantitative study in which questionnaires being distributed to respondents. A total of 144 responses were collected from sales personnel of sports retail companies in the Central Region of Malaysia. Emotional intelligence was measured using Wong and Law’s Emotional Intelligence Scale consisted of 16 items and job performance was measured using the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire consisted of 18 items. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis by SPSS statistical software version 23 and structural equation modelling by Smart PLS version 4.0.9.5. Results indicated that there was a significant positive and moderate relationship between emotional intelligence and employee job performance. This implies that emotional intelligence is closely related to employee job performance, and emotional intelligence has an important impact on job performance. A few recommendations were suggested that are organization can maintain the high level of transformational leadership by initiating an emotional intelligence training program for the sale personnel. Suggestions were also provided for future research including collecting data from different job levels about the studied variables.