Evaluating the Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Employee Performance: A Quantitative Study at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd.

Evaluating the Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Employee Performance: A Quantitative Study at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd.

Noorul Huda Zakaria, Fatimah Hafizah Mamat, Syahrul Hezrin Mahmud*, Najdah Abd Aziz

Faculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu, MALAYSIA

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.908000124

Received: 26 July 2025; Accepted: 01 August 2025; Published: 01 September 2025

ABSTRACT

In order to address the problem of employees’ inability to manage their emotions and their performance at work, this study examines the effect of emotional intelligence on employee performance at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. The researcher used emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness, self-management and social awareness as an independent variable in this study. Employee performance, meanwhile, is the dependent variable. Additionally, the research’s questionnaire was disseminated using Google Form via the WhatsApp app, and a random stratified sample approach was used. According to the Krejcie and Morgan sample size guidelines, which were set for this study, there are 191 employees of Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. who has responded to the survey without being rejected. In order to accomplish the research goal, multiple regression analysis was used to examine the data because this study involves several variables. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that while social awareness has a strong correlation with employee performance but no significant effect on employees. While self-awareness and self-management both have very strong relationships and a significant impact on employee performance. Since emotions may have a significant influence on people, organizations, and other people both positively and negatively, they must be managed. Last but not least, the researcher offers a number of suggestions that may be helpful to the staff, the company, and prospective studies.

Keywords: emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, employee performance

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on Employee Performance (EP). Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence model, developed in 1998, is a theory of performance that emphasizes individuals’ ability to learn and manage the four components of emotional intelligence known as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, to achieve workplace success (Goleman, 2001). The model is further supported by static analyses conducted by Richard Boyatzis and his colleagues (Boyatzis, Goleman, & Rhee, 2000). According to Cherniss and Goleman (2001), the model has been tested and validated across various organizational contexts.

Emotional intelligence focuses on human emotions, particularly an individual’s ability to manage their own emotions and influence others effectively in a work environment (Boyatzis, Goleman, & Rhee, 1999). Research by Krishnan, Mohd, Nur, and Nor (2018) suggests that the four components of emotional intelligence include of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management can significantly influence employee performance. Employee performance refers to the outcomes of tasks or activities that individuals are required to complete within a specific timeframe. According to Shahzad, Sarmad, Abbas, and Khan (2011), managing employee performance is essential for achieving organizational goals. Performance encompasses the quality and quantity of work delivered, as well as the knowledge and effort individuals apply to their tasks (Iskandar, Ahmad, & Martua, 2014). Furthermore, Nafukho (2009) notes that human emotions, which are ever-present in daily life, inevitably influence personal and professional performance.

Therefore, this research aims to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and employee performance, highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence as a key factor in achieving both individual and organizational success.

Problem Statement

Employee performance is a critical factor in achieving organizational success, yet it is increasingly influenced by emotional challenges faced in the workplace. Research has shown that emotions significantly affect employee behavior and outcomes. Uncontrolled emotions can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression, which directly impact employee performance (Perera & Kulik, 2015; Al Kahtani, 2013). For example, in Malaysia, a survey conducted by AIA Vitality revealed that 53% of employees experience work-related stress, while 12% suffer from depression (Fong, 2017). These statistics underscore the urgent need for organizations to address emotional challenges to improve workplace productivity and employee well-being. Emotional intelligence (EI), defined as the ability to manage one’s emotions and those of others effectively, has been identified as a critical skill for enhancing employee performance (Gunu & Oladepo, 2014). Studies by Jung and Yoon (2016) highlight that improving employee performance is essential for achieving organizational goals, and emotional intelligence can play a pivotal role in this process. However, research on emotional intelligence has predominantly focused on Western contexts, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, where cultural dynamics differ significantly from Malaysia (Krishnan et al., 2018). This cultural gap calls for a localized study to validate the relevance of emotional intelligence in the Malaysian work environment. Furthermore, past research has emphasized the need to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and employee performance. For instance, Asrar, Anwar, and Hassan (2017) recommended future studies to consider employee performance as a dependent variable in relation to emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence was also expressed as a solid forecaster for employees’ satisfaction.  Maharvi (2022) concluded that professionals who presented with higher levels and components of EI had best job performance. In order to achieve high professional efficacy, the impact of emotional intelligence cannot be ignored. Despite its potential, the application of emotional intelligence in Malaysian organizations remains underexplored, leaving a gap in understanding how emotional intelligence impacts employee performance within this cultural and organizational context. In response to these challenges, this study aims to investigate the impact of emotional intelligence on employee performance, with a focus on the Malaysian context. By addressing this gap, the research seeks to provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for organizations to enhance employee performance through the development of emotional intelligence.

Objectives of Study  

The main objectives of this study are:

1. To investigate the impact of self-awareness on employee performance.
2. To investigate the impact of self-management on employee performance.

To investigate the impact of social awareness on employee performance.

To identify the most significant factors that impact the employee performance.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Emotional intelligence determines our ability for learning, handle and control the practical skills that cover the four emotional intelligence (EI) component which are self-awareness, self-management, social management and relationship management (Goleman, 2001). Furthermore, Goleman (2001) the job skills are the emotional competencies that need to be learned is necessary which people can know their potential from it and to realize that they need to understand and conquer the skill of emotional intelligence. Employees with higher emotional intelligence have less stress and are more satisfied with their jobs (Sandroto, 2021). A higher level of emotional intelligence is closely linked to having more effective leadership skills. The study by Supramaniam (2021) affirmed the significance of positive impact of EI on organizational performance.

Several studies have been done regarding emotional intelligence in an organization.  Amisha et al. (2024) stated that emotional intelligence very important in leadership and organizational performance. The result shows that leaders with high emotional intelligence are better equipped to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, inspire trust, and foster positive workplace cultures. Means that when organization has emotional intelligence leader, it will lead to higher employee engagement, productivity, and overall performance of organization itself. Besides Mutaz al. (2024) studied relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment among first-line nurse managers in Qatar. 203 first-line nurse managers participated in the study. The findings shows that there has significant relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Thus, enhancing the emotional intelligence of first-line nurse managers can potentially improve organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and, subsequently, healthcare outcomes.

Employee Performance (Dependent Variable)

Employee performance is the quality of output from an employee that they achieve from their work and it was connected with the organization performances and success (Anitha, 2013). Performance is referring to the action taken by the person to do or does not to do meanwhile employee performance is how the employee performing their work and how much it affects them to give the result or contribute to the organization including highlight the quality of work, cooperative behavior and final task output. Besides, employee performance also figured as output of the employee that have a direct relation and effect to the organizational success (Anitha, 2013). According to Almatrooshi, Singh and Farouk (2016) the performance is one of the potential-keys for a business achievement and success.

Sharp, (2020) has explained the association of emotional intelligence components and its benefits for the employees in healthcare system employees.  Individuals with high emotional intelligence score have less stress and job burnout as well as better job satisfaction.  Numerous studies have established a positive association between employee performance and organizational success across various industries and contexts. Deepalakshmi et al. (2024) found that employee engagement plays a crucial role in driving organizational success. Employee who performs higher levels of commitment, motivation, and productivity, ultimately contributing to enhanced performance outcomes. Besides, employees with proactive behaviours, like innovation and problem-solving, important for organizational growth and competitiveness. Therefore, organizations must prioritize the cultivation of a culture that values and nurtures employee performance.

Meanwhile, Taplo et al. (2024) mentioned that leadership style influence employee’s performance. They found that effective leadership positively influences employee job satisfaction and motivation thus leads to employee’s engagement and organization success. However, it is important for organizations to consider the balance between the benefits of leadership approach and its impact on employee wellbeing.

Self-Awareness (Independent Variable)

According to Gondal and Hussain (2013), when employee able to understand their own emotion with the work situation, they will become better in performing their work.  Their finding results also showed that understand the emotion have a positive impact to the employee’s performance.  Knowing our self’s feeling help us to do our work productively and efficiently and awareness of it have a huge impact for the worker’s performance (Deshwal, 2016).

Additionally, according to Desti and Shanthi (2015) the emotion particles which are anger, sad and fear are the strongest among other feelings and many employees are not aware of it because some of them had it as a common thing or situation when they were a child, they were told to be quite and that reflect the people refuse to understand emotions well.  However, we cannot remove it directly without understanding it at first even we tried to ignore the feeling.  From that, when employee does not have an awareness of his own emotion, it turns out that the employee will have an issue to understand feelings well and also can affect while communicating with others.  Hence, employee that have ability to know and aware of their emotion can have a better understanding about feelings and then helps them to work effectively in a stable emotion without a deep pressure inside because of trying to shut the emotion forcedly. Furthermore, Rono, Korir & Boit (2017) stated that their research’s finding results show that self-awareness positively affect the employee’s performance.

Conversely, organizations with low leadership self-awareness face higher risks of toxic cultures and financial underperformance (Da Fonseca et al, 2022). Priyadharshini and Banu Priya (2024) examine the relationship between emotional self-awareness and employee’s performance at various companies across Chennai. The result shows that age and work experience play a major role in the ability of the employees to understand that their emotions in the workplace have a positive effect in their job performance. The employees’ ability to exhibit self-awareness and sensitivity shows an inclination towards fostering positive workplace relationships, building rapport and maintaining personal friendships among colleagues. Other study by Othman et al. (2024) reveals that self-awareness exhibits significant positive effects on employee performance. This study conducted at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in Nigeria and data was collected from a census survey of 165 BPE staff members. Recap, the result shows that self-awareness emerged as a potent contributor to employee performance, demonstrating a positive and statistically significant effect. Individuals armed with self-awareness possess a keen understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, empowering them to leverage their strengths and mitigate weaknesses, thereby bolstering overall performance.

Self-Management (Independent Variable)

Based on the study finding by Noermijati, Sunaryo and Ratri (2019), Emotional Intelligence helps employee to have a better self-management which they know how to handle and adapt with new changes in the company.  Besides, Emotional Intelligence also helps the employee to control their emotions so that they have a clear mind and see a new opportunity in work and new thoughts to do the task.  Moreover, according to Javed (2018), Emotional Intelligence helps individual train their emotion and identify the way to cooperate with various environment.  Hence, managing emotions is vital practice in us because it will help to improve the employee’s performance, increase productivity, work efficiency and encourages the employee to perform work responsibilities effectively (Desti & Shanthi, 2015).  In addition, Deshwal also got the result from his research study which stated that workers can work and complete the task with good score when they are managing their emotions well (Deshwal, 2016).  Besides, Prentice and King (2011) also identify that managing an emotion is positively impact the performance of employees.

A study by Othman et al. (2024) revealed a noteworthy positive relationship between self-management and employee performance within the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in Nigeria. Effective self-management encompasses goal setting, task prioritization, and time management, which collectively enhance individual productivity and performance levels. These findings provide valuable insights for organizational leaders and policymakers in designing interventions and strategies aimed at enhancing employee performance through the cultivation of emotional intelligence competencies.

Meanwhile Wonda (2024) found that self-management have a positive significant effect on employee performance enhancement in the public sector using evidence from Mersa Town, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Meaning that self-management enables the employee to be organized and careful in their work, helps them to build trust by being reliable and authentic, and handle multiple demands in a time of rapidly demand-shifting situation, self-management also helps employees to manage their feeling and to hold themselves accountable for their responsibility thereby employee performance enhancement prevails

Social Awareness (Independent Variable)

According to Noermijati, Sunaryo and Ratri (2019), the employee’s performance can be improved by understanding other people’s feelings.  Empathy is crucial to the employee because it contributes a good impact to the employee’s performance.  It is when the employee understands their colleague or other people’s emotion and able to express well the concern reflection of other’s feeling at the moment (Desti & Shanthi, 2015).  Referring to Deshwal (2016) also finds that employee knows and accepts their colleagues’ emotion at the workplace will be able to increase the mood of the employee to do the work and improve their motivation to work.

Moreover, employee can be dedicated on focusing their job requirements when the working environment is in a good vibe (Baksh, Saleem, Zaman & Fida, 2014).  This is also supporting by the research finding which is explained that the better workplace helps to give an impact in term of easy to have a group discussion when the employee understands each other’s emotion (Perera &Kulik, 2015).  According to Javed (2018), the social awareness can help the employee to plan and do their work in a correct way and this leave the good impact to the employee’s performance in organizing their task to achieve task goals successfully.

Wonda (2024) examines the contribution of emotional intelligence focusing on social awareness to employee performance. Social awareness was found to have a positive significant effect on employee performance. The reason for this is that social awareness enables employees to understand customers’ needs and match them to service, it also helps the employee to respect people who come from different backgrounds and acknowledge and being able to support others when they feel uncomfortable or upset can catalyse a significant enhancement in employee performance. Another study investigates the impact of emotional intelligence on employee performance done by Othman et al (2024). They found unveiled significant positive effects of both social awareness on employee performance. Employee’s adept in social awareness deciphers social nuances and dynamics adeptly, fostering fruitful collaborations and interpersonal relationships. Similarly, individuals equipped with robust social skills demonstrate effective communication and teamwork, thereby enriching performance outcomes.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework

Hypotheses Development

H1: There is a relationship between self-awareness (SA) and employee performance (EP).

H2: There is a relationship between self-management (SM) and employee performance (EP).

H3: There is a relationship social awareness (SA) and employee performance (EP).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The method used in this research paper is correlational research and quantitative research. The correlational research has a relationship between variable without any information that can give effect to each variable (Salkind, 2017). Additionally, the quantitative research approach is employed while examining and analyzing the link between several variables, according to Petchko (2018). Moreover, this approach is non-experimental research. This approach is also employed to accomplish our study goal, which is to look at how employee performance is affected by the independent variable of emotional intelligence.

Sampling Frame

According to Salkind (2017), the sampling frame is the total number of research participants or responders that comprise the population. The respondents who took part in the study and will serve as the sample’s source are Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. employees. This company was selected as the study site because it is a well-established organization with a diverse workforce across various departments, offering a practical setting for examining how emotional intelligence influences employee performance. Furthermore, the company’s ongoing emphasis on employee development, teamwork, and customer service makes it a relevant and suitable context for exploring the role of emotional intelligence in modern organizational performance. Therefore, the sampling frame for this research consists of a randomly selected list of employees from Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd.

Population

The number of workers at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. serves as the study’s population. Furthermore, the population is the group of potential participants that will be included in this study in order to obtain the study’s results (Salkind, 2017). The whole population of employees in the company is the population that takes part in this survey. As to the organization’s information, Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd employs 380 workers across all of its branches in Peninsular Malaysia.

Sampling Techniques

To choose a sample from the population for this research project, stratified random sampling procedures are employed. Only Peninsular Malaysia is home to all of Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd’s branches, which are divided into four strata: the Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern areas. The states of Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, and Perak make up the northern areas. The states of Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan, and Negeri Sembilan then make up the Central area. Additionally, the states of Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan are located in the eastern areas, while Melaka and Johor are located in the southern regions. In addition, it is convenient, less costly, and simple to carry out. Furthermore, according to Dornyei (2007), respondents are chosen for the study only if they meet the study’s requirements for geographic proximity, accessibility, and respondent willingness. Nevertheless, the necessary elements to properly present the situation report and the study results show that the researcher’s flexibility is beneficial to assist them employ their concept for a good try (Farrokhi & Mahmoudi, 2012).

Sampling Size

The study’s sample size is established using the Krejcie and Morgan table. A table that shows the number of populations and the sample size that must be chosen in accordance with the number of populations is provided by Kerjcie and Morgan (1970). With reference to the table, the sample size for this research study is 191 respondents since the population is 380.

Data Analysis

The statistical data analysis for the questionnaires is obtained using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows version 2.6. Data like frequencies, mean, mode, median, standard deviation, and percentage are all explained by descriptive statistics.

In the meanwhile, the data is analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient statistics. Furthermore, Stolzenberg (2004) states that the Multiple Regression analysis is employed to examine the degree of influence between the various variables. A Likert-Scale (ordinal) will be used to measure the dependent variable (employee performance) and the independent variables (self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness).

FINDINGS

Analysis of Respondents’ Profile

Table 1 Gender

As shown is Table 1, it contained the information of respondent’s gender that are participate in this study. Additionally, out of 191 participants of this study, 73.8% (n=141) of them are male, while only 26.2% (n=50) are female. Overall, there were more male respondents than female respondents participated in this study.

Table 2 Age

The respondents who took part in this study were divided into four age groups, as indicated in Table 2: under 20, 21–31, 31–40, and 41–50.  According to the table, 50.8% of the participants (n=97) were between the ages of 21 and 30. The responders who are between the ages of 31 and 40 come next, accounting for 34% (n=65). Participants in this study were 7.3% (n=15) between the ages of 41 and 50, while the lowest age group was under 20 (n=14), with 7.9%.  As a result, the respondents actively participating in this study are between the ages of 21 and 30.

Table 3 Race

There were two races represented in this study: Chinese and Malay, as shown in Table 3, which shows the race of the respondents.  Out of the 191 participants in this study, 20.9% (n=40) were Chinese and 79.1% (n=151) were Malay.  In summary, more Malay respondents than Chinese respondents actively participated in this survey.

Table 4 Marital Status

 Table 4 shows the respondents’ marital status whereby there were three groups of participants which single, married and divorced.  Based on the table, the highest frequency of respondents is (n=118) or equal to 61.8% of the respondents have been married, while (n=71) or equal to 37.2% of them were single.  Lastly, the lowest frequency marital status group is divorced which is (n=2) or equal to 1.0%

Table 5 Level of Education

Table 5 shows the respondents’ educational levels, which range from SPM to STPM to Diploma, Degree, and Master. Furthermore, the majority of responders had SPM at a frequency of (n=66), or 34.6%. and 29.8% of the participants (n=57) completed a diploma program. Next, among the participants, the frequency of having a degree is (n=25), or 13.1%, while the frequency of having a STPM education level is (n=26), or 13.6%. Furthermore, just 17 individuals (or 8.9% of the total) hold a master’s degree, which is the lowest frequency for educational attainment (n=17). According to the research, the majority of respondents in this study are from the SPM education level, whereas fewer respondents are from the Master education level group.

Table 6 Work Experience

Table 6 presents the work experience of the participants in this study, which is divided into four categories: less than two years, three to five years, six to eight years, nine to eleven years, and more than twelve years.  Six to eight years of job experience is the most common among respondents (n=58), or 30.4%, making them the majority in this survey.  Employees with 9–11 years of experience come next with 49 participants (n=49) (25.7%), while the frequency of work experience groups with 3–5 years of experience is (n=35), or 18.3%.  Next, there are 25 responders who have worked for more than 12 years.

Reliability Analysis

Table 7 Reliability Statistics for independent variable and dependent variable

Table 7 shows the result of Cronbach’s alpha for both dependent and independent variables. The independent variables comprised of Self-Awareness, Self-Management and Social Awareness, while the dependent variable was Employee Performance. Altogether, there were 31 items tested, and the result of Cronbach’s alpha for both variables was 0.973, denoting excellent reliability.

The reliability test results for the first independent variable, Self-Awareness. This variable consists of 5 items, and the Cronbach’s alpha value for these items was found to be 0.849. According to established reliability standards, this alpha value is categorized as “good,” which indicates that the items measuring Self-Awareness have a satisfactory level of internal consistency. A “good” Cronbach’s alpha suggests that the items are reliably assessing the construct of Self-Awareness and can be considered appropriate for use in the study.

Table 7 also displays the reliability statistics for the second independent variable, Self-Management, which includes 6 items. The Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.910 falls within the “excellent” range, suggesting that the items used to assess Self-Management exhibit a high level of internal consistency and reliability for the study.

It also presents the reliability statistics for the third independent variable, Social Awareness. This variable consists of 6 items, and the Cronbach’s alpha value for these items is 0.895. According to common reliability standards, this value falls into the “good” category, indicating that the items used to measure Social Awareness have high internal consistency and are reliable for use in the study.

Pilot Study

Prior to the actual study, the researcher had conducted a pilot study to test the reliability of both dependent and independent variables in this study. The pilot study involved 30 respondents as displayed in Table 8 below.

Table 8 Total respondent

As for reliability of the variables, the result is presented in Table 9. Based on the table, the Cronbach’s alpha value recorded in the pilot study was 0.953 which signified that the items had excellent consistency.

Table 9 Reliability Statistics for Pilot Study

Reliability Testing  

Table 10 Reliability Testing

Table 10 above shows that the Cronbach’s Alpha for the variable Self-Awareness (SA) was 0.65, which is determined as questionable.  However, according to Hinton, McMurray, Brownlow & Terry (2023), the value of Cronbach’s Alpha above 0.50 is still acceptable as the alpha value ranging from 0.50 to 0.70 is considered as having moderate reliability. Self-Management (SM) produced a reliable and valid the Cronbach’s alpha value with the score of 0.81. This proves that self-management is reliable and valid. The Cronbach’s Alpha of Social Awareness (SA) was 0.772, which is categorized as acceptable of reliability. There were 6 items in this variable tested on 30 respondents. As shown in Table 10, the value of Cronbach’s Alpha for the dependent variable of Employee Performance (EP) was 0.763, signifying that the variable is reliable and valid to be used in this study.

Correlation Result

Table 11 Coefficients

Unstandardized Standardized Coefficients Coefficients

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Performance

Table 11 displays the results of the coefficients for the three independent variables—social awareness, self-management, and self-awareness. There were two significant independent variables out of the three. A p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05) (β=0.236) for self-awareness and a p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05) (β=0.302) for self-management were the significant variables. The p-value for Social Awareness was 0.497 (p>0.05) (β=0.047), making it the only one that was not significant.

DISCUSSION

Research Objective 1: To investigate the impact between Self-Awareness (SA) on Employee Performance (EP).

Based on the data analysis and multiple regression analysis, the researcher found that there was a significant impact between Self-Awareness (SA) on Employee Performance (EP) at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. This is evidenced from the p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05) (β=0.236) obtained by this variable. Therefore, H1 of this study to be accepted. This finding signifies those employees at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. have an excellent Self- Awareness (SA) in themselves and it can help them to improve the employee performance in the organization.

Hypothesis Result

Based on the discussion above, it can be concluded that H1 of this research is accepted.

H1: There is a significant impact between Self-Awareness (SA) and Employee Performance (EP).

Research Objective 2: To investigate the impact between Self-Management (SM) on Employee Performance (EP).

Based on the data analysis and multiple regression analysis, this variable of Self-Management (SM) recorded the p-value of p=0.000 (p<0.05) (β=0.302). This shows that there was a significant impact between Self-Management (SM) on Employee Performance (EP). Based on this result, therefore H2 is also accepted. This signifies that the Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd.’s employees have good Self-Management (SM) and it is able to improve their performance in the organization.

Hypothesis Result

Based to the discussion above, it can be concluded that there was a significant impact between Self-Management (SM) and Employee Performance (EP), therefore H2 of this study is accepted.

H2: There is a significant impact between Self-Management (SM) and Employee Performance (EP).

Research Objective 3: To investigate the impact between Social Awareness (SA) on Employee Performance (EP).

Based on the results of the multiple regression analysis, there was no significant impact between Social Awareness (SA) and Employee Performance (EP) as the p value was 0.497 (p>0.05) (β=0.047). Therefore, H3 of this is rejected. This shows that the Social-Awareness (SA) among the employees of Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. did not impact their performance.

However, there is an explanation for the insignificant relationship between the two variables. Mahal (2020) asserts that studying emotional intelligence requires a thorough examination of demographic data. Furthermore, the age gap between employees can have an impact on social awareness. According to research, younger employees are more likely to prioritize work success and become less sensitive to others, whereas older employees are more likely to prioritize positive social relationships and are therefore more sensitive to social issues than younger employees (Wang, Burlacu, Truxillo, James, and Yao, 2015). Table 2, which presents a descriptive analysis of respondents’ ages, for this study shows that a greater proportion of younger respondents than older respondents took part.

Additionally, compared to men, women score higher on emotional intelligence, particularly in the areas of empathy, interpersonal relationships, and understanding others (Meshkat and Nejati, 2017; Mahal, 2020). According to table 1, there were 141 male respondents in this survey, compared to just 50 female respondents. The study’s research hypothesis was influenced by the employees’ age and gender, which is why there was no discernible relationship between Social Awareness (SA) and Employee Performance (EP) at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd.

Hypothesis Result

Based on the discussion above, it can be concluded that there was no significant impact between Social Awareness (SA) and Employee Performance (EP), therefore H3 of this study is rejected.

H3: There is no significant impact between Social Awareness (SA) and Employee Performance (EP).

CONCLUSION

This study was conducted to examine the impact of emotional intelligence on employee performance at Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd., with full participation from all 191 selected employees. The findings revealed a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and employee performance, with two of the three dimensions (self-awareness and self-management) showing a notable positive influence. However, social awareness was found to have no significant impact, a result that diverges from several earlier studies but is supported by a few others. This variation may be due to contextual or cultural differences within the organizational setting.

While the study successfully met its objectives, it is important to acknowledge several limitations. First, the research relied entirely on self-reported data, which may introduce bias due to social desirability or inaccurate self-assessment. Second, since the study was confined to a single organization within a specific region, the findings may not be fully generalizable to other companies or industries. Additionally, organizational culture and internal policies unique to Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. may have influenced respondents’ perspectives, potentially limiting external validity.

To build on this research, future studies should consider incorporating multiple organizations, larger sample sizes, or mixed-method approaches that include interviews or supervisor assessments for more balanced data. Longitudinal designs could also explore how emotional intelligence develops over time and its sustained impact on job performance.

From a practical standpoint, the results suggest that organizations can benefit from investing in emotional intelligence training programs, particularly those that focus on enhancing self-awareness and self-management among employees. Similar interventions in the literature such as Goleman’s EI training model or Mayer and Salovey’s EI framework have demonstrated positive outcomes in improving workplace relationships, decision-making, and job effectiveness. Organizations like Dr. Cermin Sdn. Bhd. may consider integrating such training into their HR development strategies to foster a more emotionally intelligent workforce and improve overall organizational performance.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

FUNDING

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article

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