Singaporean CIOs believe it is important for their IT staff to have high emotional intelligence, a measure of a person’s ability to recognise and react to other people’s emotions and their own, according to research from Robert Half Singapore.
The research showed that 100% of surveyed CIOs believe their IT professionals should have a high emotional intelligence. Meanwhile, 25% say too little emphasis is put on emotional intelligence by employers during the hiring process.
According to the survey, the greatest advantages of employing professionals with high emotional intelligence: Improved leadership (59%), better project management (55%), better collaboration (48%) and increased motivation/morale (40%).
Robert Half also points to research from the Harvard Review, which says emotional intelligence within the technology sector is now thought to be even more important due to the rise of machine learning and the need to develop new soft skills to differentiate humans from AI.
Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, Managing Director of Robert Half Singapore, commented: “As the technology sector and machine learning continue to accelerate and impact the workplace, it is now more important than ever for IT professionals to demonstrate high emotional intelligence.”
“IT employees who demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence are able to effectively communicate with their co-workers, and are generally better at managing stress and making difficult decisions under pressure,” Imbert-Bouchard said. “This not only cultivates a more cohesive and innovative workplace, it also generates confidence throughout the IT department, which can make the difference between success or failure in times of crisis and uncertainty for any business.”