Emotional intelligence at work: links to conflict and innovation

Purpose This paper aims at exploring, for the first time in the Arab World, the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in affecting work outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A self‐administered questionnaire was used to survey 500 employees from 19 organizations in the United Arab Emirates. The findings are discussed in the paper along with some recommendations for managers and researchers. Findings The results revealed significant differences between employees' perceptions of emotional intelligence, conflict and readiness to create and innovate. Research limitations/implications The sample represented only financial and service sectors. The implications of the findings for researchers together with some future guidelines are discussed in the paper. Practical implications The paper provides practitioners with some advice about understanding and managing climate and conflict. Originality/value The paper is the first study in the Middle Eastern context that explores the link between the multifaceted concepts of EI, satisfaction and performance.