Merits, Vol. 4, Pages 490-501: The Impact of Perceived Leadership Effectiveness and Emotional Intelligence on Employee Satisfaction in the Workplace

Merits, Vol. 4, Pages 490-501: The Impact of Perceived Leadership Effectiveness and Emotional Intelligence on Employee Satisfaction in the Workplace

Merits doi: 10.3390/merits4040035

Authors: Rosa Rodrigues Natália Teixeira Bernardo Costa

In recent years, the role of leadership in increasing employee satisfaction (ES) has received significant attention, with emotional intelligence (EI) emerging as a key factor in promoting effective leadership (EL) in organizations. Although research has demonstrated the positive impact of EI on workplace outcomes, the interplay between perceived LE, EI, and ES remains underexplored. This research is part of this theme and aims to investigate the influence of the perceived levels of LE and EI of SE leaders in the work environment. This study highlights the importance of integrating emotionally intelligent leaders into organizational structures to improve SE, which subsequently contributes to organizational success. A quantitative methodology was used, with data collected through the application of three questionnaires: one to assess the perception of LE, another to measure EI, and a third to assess SE. The results indicated a positive correlation between all constructs. Employees with more favorable perceptions of their leaders’ EI levels and leadership effectiveness reported greater workplace satisfaction. We also found that LE and EI significantly predicted ES. These findings emphasize the need to foster leadership that is not only competent, but also emotionally intelligent to increase workplace satisfaction and productivity.