Revista Industrial Data 27(1): 89-113
(2024)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15381/idata.v27i1.25652
ISSN:
1560-9146 (Impreso) / ISSN: 1810-9993 (Electrónico)
Emotional
Intelligence and Its Relationship with Workplace Accidents Among Employees of a
Financial Institution in 2019
Luz
de Maria Zubieta Burga[1]
Production and Management
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15381/idata.v27i1.24973.g20441
The main objective of the
research was to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and
workplace accidents among the employees of a financial institution in 2019
given the high rate of workplace accidents due to personal factors. A sample of
70 employees was selected and the abbreviated Emotional Quotient Inventory
(Bar-On EQ-i) was administered to them. Additionally,
workplace accident investigation reports were reviewed to identify the main personal
factors that caused workplace accidents. The study found a significant
relationship between emotional intelligence and workplace accidents, with a rho
value of −0.51. This shows an average negative correlation between emotional
intelligence and workplace accidents, meaning that the variables are related to
each other in an inversely proportional manner. In other words, the lower the
level of emotional intelligence, the higher the number of workplace accidents.
Keywords:
emotional intelligence, workplace accidents, personal factors.
According to statistics from the Ministerio
de Trabajo y Promoción del
Empleo (2017; 2018; 2019:2020; 2021), workplace accidents in Peru have been increasing in recent years. In
2017, 15,646 workplace accidents were reported, while in 2018, the number rose
to 20,132, and in 2019, jumped to 34,800. This represents a 29% increase
between 2017 and 2018, and a 72% increase between 2018 and 2019. These figures
are particularly concerning for the financial sector, where workplace accidents
increased by 75% in 2018 and by 162% in 2019 compared to the previous year. The
financial institution under study also experienced a significant increase in workplace
accidents caused by personal factors. Unsafe acts were found to be the main
cause of the high incidence of workplace accidents. According to Bird, as cited in Chamochumbi (2014), de cada 100 accidentes, 85 ocurren
por práctica insegura y solo 1 ocurre por condición insegura. El
14% restante ocurre por la combinación de ambas causas
[85 out of every 100 accidents occur due to unsafe practices and only 1 due to
unsafe conditions. The remaining 14% occur due to a combination of both] (p.
39). Asfahl, as cited in Zapata and Grisales (2017),
also confirms that los informes
de accidentes confirman que
en un gran porcentaje las lesiones son causadas por los actos
inseguros de los trabajadores [workplace accident reports confirm that a
large percentage of injuries are caused by the unsafe acts of workers] (p. 161).
It is worth noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more challenging to
monitor or report workplace accidents, with many companies reducing their
workforce by 50% or adopting remote or hybrid work arrangements. Therefore, the
comparison between 2018 and 2019 provides a more accurate picture of the number
of workplace accidents before the pandemic.
Emotional intelligence refers to
the ability to recognize, accept, and manage our own emotions as well as those
of others. It helps in developing emotional and intellectual capacity and can
be used to guide our thoughts and actions (Mayer & Salovey, 1997).
Emotional intelligence is a complex concept and is linked to a person’s
behavior, ranging from cognition to thought and action. Therefore, emotional
intelligence is a key element in the performance of any human activity
(Oliveros, 2018). Being aware of risks raises the idea that it is from within
the worker where this change begins and helps individuals modify their values
and beliefs, allowing them to identify potential dangers and take a preventive
attitude toward them. As long as workers can develop
these capabilities, they can self-manage their safety and health, and act
safely (Zapata & Grisales, 2017).
The studies suggest that a worker’s
emotional intelligence has a greater impact on workplace accidents than
work-related factors. This influence is even higher than that of
work-related factors. Therefore, it is important to understand the
relationship between emotional intelligence and workplace accidents. Understanding
the connection between these variables can lead to new insights into the
prevention of work-related accidents. This knowledge will
contribute to the development of new research and will help organizations pay
attention to the emotional intelligence of their workers. This includes
evaluating emotional intelligence during the selection process and emphasizing
its relevance during employee development. Although IQ and experience are
relevant, emotional intelligence is crucial for satisfactory results,
especially for complex tasks. The more complex the task, the more
important emotional intelligence becomes. A low level of
emotional intelligence can hinder the use of experience and technical knowledge
(Guillén, as cited in Duque, 2012).
The abbreviated Emotional Quotient Inventory (Bar-On EQ-i)
instrument presented in this research can be used to measure the level of
emotional intelligence of employees. Based on the results, appropriate
strategies can be established to improve the levels of emotional intelligence,
which can have a positive impact on reducing the rate of workplace accidents,
as well as improving organizational performance and effectiveness.
The general hypothesis is that there is a significant relationship
between emotional intelligence and workplace accidents among employees of a
financial institution in 2019. Furthermore, specific hypotheses 1, 2, 3, 4, and
5 state that the “intrapersonal”, “interpersonal”, “adaptability”, “stress
management”, and “general mood” components are significantly related to workplace
accidents. Specific hypothesis 6 states that the main personal factor that
causes the highest number of workplace accidents in the financial institution
in 2019 is non-compliance with the norms, procedures, and/or safety standards
established by the financial institution.
In his
research titled Inteligencia emocional y su incidencia en los
accidentes de trabajo en el sector pesca
período 2015-2018 to obtain a doctoral degree in
Administration, in Lima (Peru), Del Rosario (2021) aimed to determine the
relationship between emotional intelligence and workplace accidents in the
fishing sector. The research was of a substantive type and had
descriptive-explanatory levels and descriptive-correlational design. The Bar-On
EQ-i adapted to the Peruvian reality by Ugarriza and Pajares in 2001, was used as an instrument on
a sample of 186 workers. The study found that there is a significant
relationship (rs = −0.26; p < 0.01) between
emotional intelligence and workplace accidents in the fishing sector,
indicating that the higher the level of one variable, the lower the level of
the other.
In another
research titled Influencia de los actos subestándares
que generan altos índices
de accidentabilidad laboral
en la ciudad de Guayaquil en
el año 2014 to obtain a
master’s degree in Safety, Industrial Hygiene, and
Occupational Health from the University of Guayaquil, Mora (2016) aimed to
analyze the influence of substandard acts that caused high accident rates in
Guayaquil. The author used descriptive mechanisms to collect information on workplace
accidents from the IESS Occupational Risk Prevention Management Reporting
System and conducted a rigorous analysis to determine the main purpose.
Finally, she found that the most common substandard action is the failure to
signal or warn of danger and that unsafe behaviors are the primary cause of workplace
accidents.
Emotional intelligence refers to
an individual’s ability to manage frustration, empathize with others,
understand their emotions, adapt to stressful situations, work in a team, face
problems, and solve them (Goleman, 2001). However, possessing high emotional
intelligence alone does not guarantee that someone has learned the emotional
skills necessary for the job; it merely suggests that they have the potential
to acquire them (Goleman, 2000). IQ is not enough to ensure success. Instead,
emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and perseverance in challenging
situations lead to personal growth (Goleman, 1995). Controlling impulses or
feelings that cause frustration is challenging; managing them correctly
indicates a person’s capacity, ability, willpower, and character (Goleman,
1995).
Las emociones traen consigo la relación pura que
establece el sujeto con el “otro” o con su entorno, lo que hace que esta (la
emoción) venga cargada de tal grado de subjetividad que la lleve a ser el
causante principal o factor distintivo de los comportamientos de las personas.
De igual manera, las emociones representan los factores culturales que uno o
más individuos identifican en el medio en que se desempeñan. Por ejemplo, el
lugar de trabajo representa para los individuos la aparición, permanencia o desaparición
de una serie de emociones propias de este lugar que quizá no se hagan presentes
en otros como el hogar o la universidad. Y es precisamente en ese caso cuando
se espera que un individuo manifieste en la organización un control sobre
aquellas emociones que son vistas como dañinas (enojo, ira, desgaste emocional,
etc.) y realce aquellas vistas como positivas (tranquilidad, asertividad,
empatía, etc.) [Emotions
are intricately tied to an individual’s relationship with others or their
environment, making them strongly subjective and a significant factor in
people’s behavior. Emotions also represent cultural factors that individuals
identify in their workplace. For example, individuals may experience emotions
specific to their workplace that may not be present in other settings, such as
home or university. In this context, individuals are expected to display
control over harmful emotions such as anger, rage and emotional exhaustion,
while enhancing positive emotions such as tranquility, assertiveness, and
empathy]. (Duque, 2012, p. 151)
According to Goleman’s theories,
work competence depends on both intellectual and emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is particularly crucial, as emotions are key elements of
organizational success, as concluded by Duque. Organizations require
individuals with emotional self-regulation, self-control, stress management,
and empathy, which are critical factors in ensuring workplace safety and
preventing workplace accidents.
Emotional intelligence refers to
the abilities that individuals possess to manage the situations presented to
them. It enables them to develop empathic and appropriate feelings, propose
solutions in adverse situations, and succeed both personally and socially,
resulting in internal and external well-being (Ugarriza,
2001).
According to Goleman (1995),
emotional intelligence
permite tomar conciencia de nuestras emociones, comprender los sentimientos de los demás, tolerar las presiones y frustraciones que soportamos en el
trabajo, acentuar nuestra capacidad de trabajar en equipo
y adoptar una actitud empática y social, que nos brindará mayores
posibilidades de desarrollo
personal [helps us become aware of our emotions, understand
the emotions of others, tolerate pressures and frustrations at work, enhance
our ability to work in a team, and adopt an empathetic and social attitude,
which ultimately leads to greater personal development]. (p. 3)
For Mayer and Salovey (1993), es un
tipo de inteligencia social
que incluye la habilidad de
supervisar y entender las emociones propias y la de los demás, discriminar
entre ellas y usar la información
para guiar el pensamiento y las acciones de uno
[emotional intelligence is a type of social intelligence that involves
monitoring and understanding one’s own and others’ emotions, discriminating
between them, and using the information to guide one’s thinking and actions] (p.
433).
In summary, emotional
intelligence is the ability to know how to manage emotions to obtain positive results.
Based on the above definitions, emotional
intelligence is the capacity that people develop to understand and control
their emotions, which is crucial for success in both personal and work
environments. Suifan, Abdallah, and Sweis (as cited
in Leal, 2023) state that todas las dimensiones de inteligencia emocional de autoconciencia, autogestión, conciencia social y gestión de relaciones afectan positiva y significativamente los resultados laborales de todos los empleados
[all dimensions of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-management,
social awareness, and relationship management, positively and significantly
affect the work outcomes of all employees] (p. 3).
The five major conceptual
components of emotional intelligence, according to Ugarriza
(2001), and its 15 subcomponents are the following:
-
Intrapersonal
component (IAC)
• Emotional
self-awareness (ES): The ability to identify and understand our own emotions
and feelings, and to distinguish and understand the reason for them.
• Assertiveness
(AS): The ability to express our feelings, beliefs, and ideas without offending
others, and to protect our rights without bias.
• Self-regard
(SeR): The ability to understand, accept, and respect
our virtues and flaws, and to be aware of our limitations and opportunities.
• Self-actualization
(SeA): The ability to do what we can, want, and enjoy
doing.
• Independence
(IN): The ability to be self-directed, and to feel confident in our thoughts,
decisions, and actions.
-
Interpersonal
component (IEC)
• Empathy
(EM): The ability to recognize other people’s feelings, and to understand and
appreciate them.
• Interpersonal
relationship (IR): The ability to create satisfactory emotional
bonds involving closeness and intimacy.
• Social
responsibility (SR): The ability to be a collaborative,
cooperative, and constructive individual within the social group.
-
Adaptability component (ADC)
• Reality-testing
(RT): The ability to evaluate the correspondence between what we experience
(the subjective) and what actually exists (the
objective).
• Problem-solving
(PS): The ability to recognize, define, and effectively solve problems.
• Flexibility
(FL): The ability to adapt our behavior, emotions, and thoughts to different
circumstances.
-
Stress
management component (SMC)
• Stress
tolerance (ST): The ability to cope with adverse situations, stressful
moments, and intense emotions without falling apart, and to actively and
positively face stress.
• Impulse
control (IC): The ability to control or postpone an impulse or
temptation to manage our emotions.
-
General
mood component (GMC)
• Happiness
(HA): The ability to feel fulfilled, to enjoy oneself and others, and to
manifest positive emotions.
• Optimism
(OP): The ability to perceive the positive side of various situations by
remaining optimistic despite obstacles and negative emotions.
Fostering emotional intelligence
among employees has become an important tactic for companies to help them adapt
to current social changes. This is because emotional intelligence helps workers
acquire essential skills related to their personal and professional
development, enabling them to tackle work commitments and challenges
effectively. Identifying, recognizing, expressing, and managing emotions can
contribute to improving productivity, motivation, well-being, and job
satisfaction. Therefore, promoting and reinforcing emotional intelligence
fosters a functional and positive work environment, contributing to the social
well-being of employees who develop this skill (Quiroz, 2021).
Currently, organizations are
undergoing significant changes, and occupational risk prevention is no
exception. Organizations are becoming more empathetic towards their employees,
moving away from the traditional cold organizational approach. Studies
show that emotional intelligence offers various benefits to organizations, not
only in terms of occupational risk prevention but also in productivity. As both
aspects are crucial in achieving organizational goals and profitability,
promoting emotional intelligence is essential for companies to thrive.
Employees who can manage negative
emotions and maintain positive ones tend to show a greater sense of energy and
enthusiasm toward their work. According to Bresó and
Mejía in 2012, employees also show higher levels of commitment, pride, and
concentration while performing work activities. The study concludes that
emotional intelligence plays a significant role in preventing occupational
risks in organizations. Workers who can manage their emotions and maintain a
positive outlook towards their work are more committed and will ensure the
proper fulfillment of their tasks, while also adhering to safety and health
standards at work, thus having a positive impact on accident rates.
The loss causation theory of Bird
(as cited in Defaz, 2018) outlines the factors that contribute to workplace
accidents. The primary factor is a lack of control due to a lack of plans or programs,
inadequate or insufficient safety standards for identified hazards and risks,
and other control deficiencies. Then the basic causes follow, these are failures
in controls, which can be attributed to personal factors (overconfidence,
ignorance of procedures, lack of motivation, etc.) and job factors (related to
the workplace and its processes). Finally, the immediate causes are those that
result in injury, and they are categorized into two events: unsafe acts and
conditions. Unsafe acts refer to the worker’s behavior when not following
safety measures, while unsafe conditions refer to the unsuitable work
environment that fails to provide safe working conditions. Both
of these result from the basic causes mentioned above.
The research conducted by Bird
(as cited in Chamochumbi, 2014) showed that out of
every 100 accidents, 85 were due to unsafe acts, 1 was due to unsafe conditions
and 14% happened due to a combination of both causes. Based on this cited
research by Bird, Sánchez et al. (2007) concluded that the fundamental
principle of loss management is that la gestión preventiva debe priorizar el control sobre las causas últimas de los daños o causas básicas y no sobre las causas inmediatas o sobre los efectos
generados [preventive management should
prioritize control over the root causes of damage rather than the immediate
causes or effects generated] (p. 32).
Thus, the worker’s behavior plays
a direct role in the incidence of workplace accidents, either due to unsafe
acts, a combination of unsafe acts and conditions, or indirectly, in accidents caused
by unsafe conditions that may be generated by a person.
The basic causes are the reasons
behind any incident or accident at work, including those that explain why
unsafe acts and conditions occur. Personal factors, such as physiological and
psychological characteristics, determine attitudes and behaviors; workers
should possess appropriate physiological and psychological characteristics
suitable for the demands of their jobs (Instituto Europeo
de Estudios Empresariales, n.d.).
According to the Regulation of
Law No. 29783, Law on Safety and Health at Work, Supreme Decree No. 005-2012-TR
(D. S. N.º 005-2012-TR, 2012), personal factors referidos a limitaciones
en experiencias, fobias y tensiones presentes en el
trabajador [refer to limitations in experiences,
phobias, and tensions present in the worker] (p. 38). Therefore, it is
important to determine whether emotional intelligence is related to workplace accidents,
given that 89% of accidents in the studied financial institution were due to
personal factors. The results obtained in this research will serve as a basis
for redirecting or developing effective strategies to counteract the real
causes of workplace accidents.
Todo suceso inesperado que ocurre durante el trabajo o
con ocasión de este y que resulta en una lesión orgánica, una perturbación
funcional, una invalidez o la muerte del trabajador se considera accidente de
trabajo. También es considerado accidente de trabajo aquel que se genera fuera
del lugar y horas de trabajo, pero bajo las órdenes del empleador [Any unexpected event that results in an organic injury,
functional disturbance, disability or death
of a worker during work or
on the occasion
of work is
considered a workplace accident. It is also considered a workplace
accident if it occurs outside the place and hours of work but under the
employer’s orders]. (Ley N.º 29783,
p. 37)
Another definition refers to a
workplace accident as any physical injury suffered by the worker as a result of the work performed (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, 2021).
ISO 45001: 2018 defines workplace
accidents as events where accidents or health deterioration have occurred; the
standard considers accidents and near misses as incidents (Organización
Internacional de Normalización [ISO], 2018).
Investigating workplace accidents can help
identify the risk factors in organizations, the immediate causes composed of
acts and substandard conditions, the basic causes where personal and work
factors are found, and the deviations of the occupational safety and health
management system. This can enable organizations to plan, execute, and monitor
the effectiveness of corrective measures. Proper accident investigation can
help detect the root cause of the accident and prevent its recurrence. This can
reduce workplace accidents, leading to improved productivity by reducing work absenteeism
and costs associated with workplace accidents (Ley N.º 29783, 2012).
When a workplace accident occurs,
an investigation should be carried out to detect the root cause and take
preventive and/or corrective actions based on the results. Organizations must
investigate accidents as it allows them to reevaluate their risk prevention
management. The investigation also has a legal aspect as current occupational
safety and health regulations require employers to investigate all accidents
that occur in their organization and take timely and efficient actions. Failure
to do so can lead to sanctions.
This is a correlational research study that aims to understand the
relationship between two variables: emotional intelligence and workplace accidents.
The research design is non-experimental and cross-sectional, conducted within a
specific period, which is the year 2019. The survey technique was used to
collect data on the emotional intelligence variable, and the instrument used
for this was the abbreviated Bar-On EQ-i
questionnaire. On the other hand, data for the workplace accidents variable was
collected through information gathering, and the instrument used was the
investigation reports of accidents at work in 2019. The sample was
non-probabilistic and intentional, consisting of all 70 employees of the
financial institution under study who had suffered workplace accidents due to
personal factors in the year 2019. The survey was conducted virtually and
anonymously. The data were processed using the SPSS program to create tables
for data interpretation. The correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship
between the two variables, after conducting a normality test.
Hypothesis Testing:
Normality
Testing
Table 1 presents the results of the normality testing conducted to
determine whether the variables of workplace accidents and emotional intelligence
are normal.
H0: Both variables follow a normal
distribution.
H1: None of the variables follow a normal distribution.
α: 0.05
Table
1. Normality Testing.
|
Tests of Normality |
||||||
|
|
Kolmogorov-Smirnova |
Shapiro-Wilk |
||||
|
Statistic |
df |
Sig. |
Statistic |
df |
Sig. |
|
|
Accidents due to Personal Factors |
0.460 |
70 |
0.000 |
0.546 |
70 |
0.000 |
|
Emotional Intelligence |
0.428 |
70 |
0.00 |
0.592 |
70 |
0.000 |
|
a. Lilliefors
Significance Correction |
||||||
Source: Prepared by
the author.
Table 1
displays the results of a normality test conducted on a sample of 70
collaborators. Since the sample size is greater than 50, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov
test was used. The results showed that both variables have a significance value
of 0.000 < 0.05, indicating a non-normal distribution. Consequently, the
distribution is considered non-parametric, and the Spearman’s rho statistic was
applied.
General
Hypothesis
Table 2 examines the correlation between emotional intelligence and workplace
accidents of employees of a financial institution in 2019 to determine if a
significant relationship exists between them.
H0: Emotional
Intelligence is not significantly related to workplace accidents of collaborators
of a financial institution in 2019.
H1: Emotional
Intelligence is significantly related to workplace accidents of collaborators
of a financial entity in 2019
α: 0.05
Table 2. Results of the Correlation
Between the Emotional Intelligence Component and Workplace Accidents.
|
|
Emotional Intelligence |
Accidents due to Personal Factors |
||
|
Spearman’s Rho |
Emotional Intelligence |
Correlation Coefficient |
1.000 |
−0.511 |
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
. |
0.000 |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
|
Accidents due to Personal Factors |
Correlation Coefficient |
−0.511 |
1.000 |
|
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.000 |
. |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
Source:
Prepared by the author.
Table 2 shows the correlation
between emotional intelligence and workplace accidents. The results demonstrate
a significant relationship with a bilateral significance of 0.000 < 0.05 and
a value of rho = −0.51. This negative average correlation between emotional
intelligence and workplace accidents suggests an inverse relationship. In other
words, the lower the level of emotional intelligence, the higher the number of workplace
accidents. These findings support the alternative hypothesis that emotional
intelligence is significantly related to workplace accidents of employees of a
financial institution in 2019.
Specific Hypothesis 1
Table 3 examines the correlation between the intrapersonal component and
workplace accidents to determine if a significant relationship exists between
them.
H0: The intrapersonal component
is not significantly related to workplace accidents.
H1: The intrapersonal component is
significantly related to workplace accidents.
Alpha error: 0.05
Table 3. Results of the Correlation Between the Intrapersonal
Component and Workplace Accidents.
|
|
Intrapersonal |
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
||
|
Spearman’s Rho |
Intrapersonal |
Correlation
Coefficient |
1.000 |
−0.584 |
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
. |
0.000 |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
|
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
Correlation
Coefficient |
−0.584 |
1.000 |
|
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.000 |
. |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
Source: Prepared by the author.
Table 3 shows the correlation
between the intrapersonal component and workplace accidents. The results
demonstrate a significant relationship with a bilateral significance of 0.000
< 0.05 and a value of rho = −0.58. This negative average correlation between
the intrapersonal component and workplace accidents suggests an inverse
relationship. In other words, the lower the level of the intrapersonal
component, the higher the number of workplace accidents. These findings support
the alternative hypothesis that the intrapersonal component is significantly
related to workplace accidents.
Specific Hypothesis 2
Table 4 examines the correlation between the interpersonal component and
workplace accidents to determine if a significant relationship exists between
them.
H0: The interpersonal
component is not significantly related to workplace accidents.
H1: The interpersonal component is
significantly related to workplace accidents.
Alpha error: 0.05
Table
4. Results of the Correlation Between the Interpersonal
Component and Workplace Accidents.
|
|
Interpersonal |
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
||
|
Spearman’s Rho |
Interpersonal |
Correlation
Coefficient |
1.000 |
−0.553 |
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
. |
0.000 |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
|
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
Correlation
Coefficient |
−0.553 |
1.000 |
|
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.000 |
. |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
Source:
Prepared by the author.
Table 4 shows the correlation
between the interpersonal component and workplace accidents. The results
demonstrate a significant relationship with a bilateral significance of 0.000
< 0.05 and a value of rho = −0.55. This negative average correlation between
the interpersonal component and workplace accidents suggests an inverse
relationship. In other words, the lower the level of the interpersonal
component, the higher the number of workplace accidents. These findings support
the alternative hypothesis that the interpersonal component is significantly
related to workplace accidents.
Table 5 examines the correlation
between the adaptability component and workplace accidents to determine if a
significant relationship exists between them.
H0: The
adaptability component
is not significantly related to workplace accidents.
H1: The
adaptability component is significantly related to workplace accidents.
Alpha
error: 0.05
Table
5. Results of the
Correlation Between the Adaptability Component and Workplace Accidents.
|
|
Adaptability |
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
||
|
Spearman’s Rho |
Adaptability |
Correlation
Coefficient |
1.000 |
−0.525 |
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
. |
0.000 |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
|
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
Correlation
Coefficient |
−0.525 |
1.000 |
|
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.000 |
. |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
Source:
Prepared by the author.
Table 4 shows the correlation
between the adaptability component and workplace accidents. The results
demonstrate a significant relationship with a bilateral significance of 0.000
< 0.05 and a value of rho = −0.52. This negative average correlation between
the adaptability component and workplace accidents suggests an inverse
relationship. In other words, the lower the level of the adaptability component,
the higher the number of workplace accidents. These findings support the
alternative hypothesis that the adaptability component is significantly related
to workplace accidents.
Specific Hypothesis 4
Table 6 examines the correlation between the stress management component
and workplace accidents to determine if a significant relationship exists between
them.
H0: The stress management component
is not significantly related to workplace accidents.
H1: The stress management component is
significantly related to workplace accidents.
Alpha error: 0.05
Table 6. Results of the Correlation
Between the Stress Management Component and Workplace Accidents.
|
|
Stress
Management |
Accidents due to Personal Factors |
||
|
Spearman’s Rho |
Stress Management |
Correlation Coefficient |
1.000 |
−0.596 |
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
. |
0.000 |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
|
Accidents due to Personal Factors |
Correlation Coefficient |
−0.596 |
1.000 |
|
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.000 |
. |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
Source:
Prepared by the author.
Table 6 shows the correlation
between the stress management component and workplace accidents. The results
demonstrate a significant relationship with a bilateral significance of 0.000
< 0.05 and a value of rho = −0.59. This negative average correlation between
the stress management component and workplace accidents suggests an inverse
relationship. In other words, the lower the level of the stress management
component, the higher the number of workplace accidents. These findings support
the alternative hypothesis that the stress management component is
significantly related to workplace accidents.
Specific Hypothesis 5
Table 7 examines the correlation between the general mood component and workplace
accidents to determine if a significant relationship exists between them.
H0: The general mood component
is not significantly related to workplace accidents.
H1: The general mood component is
significantly related to workplace accidents.
Alpha error: 0.05
Table 7. Results
of the Correlation Between the General Mood Component and Workplace Accidents.
|
|
General Mood |
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
||
|
Spearman’s Rho |
General Mood |
Correlation
Coefficient |
1.000 |
−0.525 |
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
. |
0.000 |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
|
Accidents due to
Personal Factors |
Correlation
Coefficient |
−0.525 |
1.000 |
|
|
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.000 |
. |
||
|
N |
70 |
70 |
||
Source: Prepared by the author.
Table 7 shows the correlation
between the general mood component and workplace accidents. The results
demonstrate a significant relationship with a bilateral significance of 0.000
< 0.05 and a value of rho = −0.52. This negative average correlation between
the general mood component and workplace accidents suggests an inverse
relationship. In other words, the lower the level of the general mood
component, the higher the number of workplace accidents. These findings support
the alternative hypothesis that the general mood component is significantly
related to workplace accidents.
Specific Hypothesis 6
H0: Failure to comply with the procedures, safety standards, or safety
regulations established is not the primary personal factor responsible for the
highest number of workplace accidents in the financial entity during 2019.
H1: Failure to comply with the
procedures, safety standards, or safety regulations established is the primary
personal factor responsible for the highest number of workplace accidents in
the financial entity during 2019.
Alpha error: 0.05
Table
8. Personal Factors.
|
Personal Factors |
f |
% |
|
Non-compliance with norms, procedures, and
standards in the financial entity |
52 |
74.3 |
|
Inadequate use or non-use of PPE |
1 |
1.4 |
|
Exposing oneself unnecessarily to danger |
17 |
24.3 |
|
Total |
70 |
100.0 |
Source: Prepared by the author.
Interpretation
of Results
Table 8
displays the personal factors that contributed to the occurrence of workplace accidents.
The results indicate that the primary factor responsible for the highest number
of accidents was non-compliance with norms, procedures, and standards in the
financial entity, accounting for 74.3% of accidents. Exposing oneself
unnecessarily to danger and inadequate use or non-use of personal protection
equipment were secondary factors and accounted for 24.3% and 1.4% of accidents,
respectively.
The presented statistical data
support the hypothesis that emotional intelligence has a significant
relationship with workplace accidents among employees of a financial
institution. The relationship between emotional intelligence and workplace
accidents is inversely proportional; the lower the
emotional intelligence, the higher the number of workplace accidents due to
personal factors. However, it is important to note that low emotional
intelligence would not be the primary cause of work accidents in the financial
institution, as per the results obtained (rho = −0.51). On average, the
correlation between both variables is negative.
There has not been much research
conducted in our country regarding the relationship between emotional
intelligence and workplace accidents. However, the study conducted by Del
Rosario (2021) reinforces the findings of the present research.
Emotional intelligence has been found to significantly
impact the occurrence of workplace accidents. The study found that
work accidents were significantly correlated with each of the five components
of emotional intelligence: intrapersonal (−0.58), interpersonal (−0.55),
adaptability (−0.52), stress management (−0.59), and mood (−0.52). These
results indicate that there is a significant and inverse correlation between
emotional intelligence components and workplace accidents.
The number of workplace accidents
in the financial entity has been increasing year by year. From 2016 to 2017, there was a 26% increase, from 2017 to
2018 a 31% increase, and from 2018 to 2019 a 55% increase. The research reveals
that the low emotional intelligence levels of employees are among the reasons
for this increase. Specifically, 67.1% of workers had a low level of emotional
intelligence, while only 32.9% had a medium level. These results suggest that
workers with low emotional intelligence are more prone to workplace accidents.
A pesar de la importancia que tienen los conocimientos,
la experiencia y el coeficiente intelectual, son las competencias emocionales
las que determinan resultados superiores en el ámbito profesional. Cuanto más
complejo sea un trabajo, mayor es la importancia de la inteligencia emocional,
aunque solo sea porque su deficiencia puede obstaculizar el uso de la
experiencia o la inteligencia técnica que tenga la persona [Although knowledge, experience, and IQ are
important, emotional competencies are crucial for
superior performance in the workplace.
The more complex a job is, the more important emotional intelligence
becomes. A lack of emotional intelligence can hinder the use of a person’s
experience or technical intelligence, making it difficult to excel in their
role]. (Guillén (2010), as cited in Duque, 2012, pp. 161-162)
To address this issue, it is
recommended that current strategies be redirected towards improving the
emotional intelligence levels of employees, as well as identifying other causes
of workplace accidents. The research also showed that ineffective leadership by
agency leaders was a contributing factor to workplace accidents. Moreover,
74.3% of accidents were due to employees not following established norms,
procedures, and standards, while 24.3% were due to employees being
unnecessarily exposed to danger. Only 1.4% of accidents were due to employees
not using personal protective equipment. Therefore, the company does not
monitor employee actions to ensure compliance with organizational standards to
prevent workplace accidents.
•
It
has been found that there is a significant average negative correlation between
emotional intelligence and workplace accidents among employees of a financial
entity in 2019. The study revealed that low levels of emotional intelligence
result in a greater number of workplace accidents due to non-compliance with
established norms, procedures, and safety standards, unnecessary exposure to
danger, and inadequate use or non-use of personal protective equipment.
•
There
is a significant average negative correlation between workplace accidents and
the intrapersonal component, with a correlation coefficient of −0.58. This
means that the lower the level of the intrapersonal component, which includes
assertiveness, self-regard, emotional self-awareness, independence, and self-actualization,
the higher the number of workplace accidents.
•
There
is a significant average negative correlation between workplace accidents and
the interpersonal component, with a correlation coefficient of −0.55. This
means that the lower the level of the interpersonal component, which includes
empathy, interpersonal relationships, and social responsibility, the higher the
number of workplace accidents.
•
There
is a significant average negative correlation between workplace accidents and
the adaptability component, with a correlation coefficient of −0.52. This means
that the lower the level of the adaptability component, which includes
problem-solving and flexibility, the higher the number of workplace accidents.
•
There
is a significant average negative correlation between workplace accidents and
the intrapersonal component, with a correlation coefficient of −0.58. This
means that the lower the level of the intrapersonal component, which includes
assertiveness, self-regard, emotional self-awareness, independence, and
self-actualization, the higher the number of workplace accidents.
•
There
is a significant average negative correlation between workplace accidents and
the stress management component, with a correlation coefficient of −0.59. This
means that the lower the level of the stress management component, which
includes stress tolerance and impulse control, the higher the number of workplace
accidents.
•
There
is a significant average negative correlation between workplace accidents and
the general mood component, with a correlation coefficient of −0.52. This means
that the lower the level of the general mood component, which includes
happiness and optimism, the higher the number of workplace accidents.
•
The
study also identified the personal factors that caused workplace accidents in
the financial institution studied. Not complying with norms, procedures, and/or
standards in the financial institution was found to be the primary factor,
representing 74.3% of workplace accidents; exposing oneself unnecessarily to
danger was the second factor, 24.3%; and the inadequate use or non-use of
personal protective equipment represented only 1.4%.
A special thanks to the financial institution that allowed this research
to be carried out. Their support and cooperation were essential to the
successful completion of this work.
[1]
Bresó Esteve, E., &
Mejía Clavijo, M. J. (2012). La razón y la emoción en la prevención de
riesgos laborales: Importancia de la inteligencia emocional en la selección y
formación. Gestión Práctica de Riesgos Laborales. Integración y desarrollo
de la gestión de la prevención, (94), 40-45. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=3939182
[2]
Chamochumbi Barrueto, C. M. (2014). Seguridad e higiene
industrial. Lima, Peru: Fondo Editorial de la
UIGV.
[3]
Decreto
Supremo N.º 005-2012-TR. Decreto Supremo que aprueba el Reglamento de la Ley
29783, Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo. Diario Oficial El
Peruano. (2012, April 25). https://www.gob.pe/institucion/presidencia/normas-legales/462577-005-2012-tr
[4]
Defaz
Gallardo, W. M. (2018). Análisis de causalidad de
los accidentes de trabajo en la fuerza terrestre, perteneciente a las fuerzas
armadas de la República del Ecuador, entre los años 2015 y 2016. (Degree
research project). Universidad Internacional SEK, Quito. https://repositorio.uisek.edu.ec/handle/123456789/2863
[5]
Del Rosario, F. J. (2021). Inteligencia emocional y su
incidencia en los accidentes de trabajo en el sector pesca período 2015-2018. (Doctoral thesis).
Universidad Nacional Federico Villareal, Lima.
[6]
Duque Ceballos, J. L. (2012). Emociones e inteligencia
emocional: Una aproximación a su pertinencia y surgimiento en las
organizaciones. Libre Empresa, 9(2), 147-169.
[7]
Goleman, D. (1995). La inteligencia emocional. Por qué es
más importante que el cociente intelectual. B de bolsillo.
[8]
Goleman, D. (2000). La inteligencia emocional en la
empresa. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Javier Vergara.
[9]
Goleman, D. (2001). Inteligencia Emocional. Spain: Editorial Kairós.
[10] Instituto Europeo de
Estudios Empresariales. (n.d.). Accidentes de
trabajo: Causas Básicas.
[11] Instituto Nacional de
Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo. (2021). Definición legal de accidentes de
trabajo.
https://www.insst.es/documents/94886/789577/seguridad+guia+monitor.pdf/0b93b59d-5d99-4747-9887-b4244b8fef39?t=1605801764370
[12] Leal Paredes, S. M. (2023).
Inteligencia Emocional y Compromiso Laboral en las MiPymes de Ecuador. Ciencias
administrativas, (21), 116. https://doi.org/10.24215/23143738e116
[13] Ley N.º
29783. (2011, August 20). Ley
de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo. Diario Oficial El Peruano.
[14]
Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (1993). The
intelligence of Emotional Intelligence. Intelligence, 17(4), 433-442. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-2896(93)90010-3
[15]
Mayer,
J. D., & Salovey, P. (1997). “What is emotional intelligence?”. En P.
Salovey, y D. Sluyter (Eds). Emotional Development and Emotional
Intelligence: Educational Implications (pp. 3-31). New York, NY, U.S.:
Basic Books.
[16] Mora García, A. V. (2016). Influencia de los actos subestándares que generan altos índices de
accidentabilidad laboral en la ciudad de Guayaquil en el año 2014. (Master’s thesis). Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil. http://repositorio.ug.edu.ec/handle/redug/21262
[17] Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo.
(2017).
Boletín estadístico: Notificaciones de accidentes de trabajo, incidentes
peligrosos y enfermedades ocupacionales. ttps://www2.trabajo.gob.pe/archivos/estadisticas/sat/2017/SAT_diciembre_12.pdf
[18] Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo.
(2018).
Boletín estadístico: Notificaciones de accidentes de trabajo, incidentes
peligrosos y enfermedades ocupacionales. https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/300109/d298712_opt.pdf
[19] Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo.
(2019).
Boletín estadístico Mensual – Edición Diciembre 2019. https://www.gob.pe/institucion/mtpe/informes-publicaciones/425843-boletin-estadistico-mensual-edicion-diciembre-2019
[20] Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo.
(2020).
Boletín Estadístico Mensual: Notificaciones de accidentes de trabajo,
incidentes peligrosos y enfermedades ocupacionales, Nº12 - Año 09 - Edición Diciembre 2020. https://www.gob.pe/institucion/mtpe/informes-publicaciones/1646255-boletin-estadistico-mensual-notificaciones-de-accidentes-de-trabajo-incidentes-peligrosos-y-enfermedades-ocupacionales-n-12-ano-09-edicion-diciembre-2020a
[21] Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo.
(2021).
Boletín estadístico Mensual - Edición Diciembre 2021. https://www.gob.pe/institucion/mtpe/informes-publicaciones/2800014-boletin-estadistico-mensual-edicion-diciembre-2021
[22] Oliveros, V. B. (2018).
La inteligencia
emocional desde la perspectiva de Rafael Bisquerra. Revista de
investigación, 42(93).
[23] Organización Internacional de
Normalización. (2018).
Guía
de implantación para seguridad y salud laboral (ISO 45001:2018). https://www.nqa.com/medialibraries/NQA/NQA-Media-Library/PDFs/Spanish%20QRFs%20and%20PDFs/NQA-ISO-45001-Guia-de-implantacion.pdf
[24] Quiroz, S. M. (2021).
Inteligencia emocional: qué es, para qué sirve y cómo se desarrolla al
interior de las organizaciones. (Trabajo de especialización en Psicología
de las Organizaciones y del Trabajo). La Universidad de San Buenaventura,
Medellín. http://hdl.handle.net/10819/8157
[25] Sánchez Iglesias, Á. L., Villalobos
Cabrera, F., & Cirujano González, A. (2007). Manual de gestión de
prevención de riesgos laborales. FREMAP. https://prevencion.fremap.es/Buenas%20prcticas/LIB.005%20-%20Libro%20Manual%20Gestion%20PRL.pdf
[26]
Ugarriza,
N. (2001). La evaluación de la inteligencia emocional a través del inventario
de BarOn (I-CE) en una muestra de Lima Metropolitana.
Persona, (4), 129-160.
[27]
Zapata Escobar, A. M., & Grisales Franco, L. M. (2017).
Importancia de la formación para la prevención de accidentes en el lugar de
trabajo. Salud de los Trabajadores, 25(2), 156-166. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6454307
[1] Industrial
engineer. Currently working as a professor in the Occupational Safety and Risk
Prevention degree program at IES Cibertec (Arequipa, Peru).
E-mail:
plzubiet@cibertec.edu.pe
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6730-3257
E-mail:
plzubiet@cibertec.edu.pe