Regulating emotions at work: The role of emotional intelligence in the process of conflict, job crafting and performance

Workplace conflict relates negatively to performance and can induce stress and inhibit employees’ ability to be flexible and creative (see De Dreu & Weingart, 2003). Organisations require proactive and high-performing employees in order to thrive (Jackson, 2014), whilst also requiring employees who can effectively deal with workplace conflict, manage work tasks, manage relationships at work and regulate their emotional responses at work. Furthermore, organisations are unable to fully micro-manage employee relations (Augustine, Payne, Sencindiver, & Woodcock, 2005), but it is important for organisations and employees to identify the underlying factors (e.g. building rapport amongst colleagues or allowing flexibility in altering a task procedure) that could assist employees in managing performance, relationships and conflict on their own at work for them to function optimally.