Impact of socio-emotional skills on Ecuadorian agriculture

The development of social and emotional skills enhances productivity in organizations and provides competitive advantages in business by strengthening decision-making, teamwork, innovation, and the efficient use of technology. For a company to improve its productivity and stand out in the market, it is essential that its employees regulate their emotions, communicate effectively, collaborate efficiently, innovate, and leverage technology in the workplace. This article aims to establish the relationship between the socio-emotional skills of banana plantation administrators in Milagro and its surrounding areas and their impact on productivity. The study follows a quantitative, cross-sectional approach, involving 98 out of 112 administrators from small-scale banana plantations. The self-report questionnaire CompeTEA was employed to assess five workplace-related dimensions: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Task Development, Environmental Dimension, and Management. Findings indicate that higher productivity levels are significantly associated with task development skills (0.307). In the analysis of task development skills, along with those related to environment and management, higher scores were observed among administrators who are members of a banana producers' association compared to independent administrators. However, no significant differences were found in productivity-related indicators. This study presents a potential profile that could contribute to the enhancement of socio-emotional skills and overall productivity by incorporating additional variables such as soil type, climate, and geographical location. It concludes that socio-emotional competencies facilitate favorable productivity outcomes within banana plantations.