Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Work-Life Balance and Job Stress among Academic Staff in Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

SOLOMON OJO, ABDULAZEEZ OMOTAYO OPALEYE, BEDE CHINONYE AKPUNNE

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) on work-life balance and job stress among academic staff in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. A total of 120 academic staff was purposively selected for the study and responded to the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EQS), Work-Life Balance Scale (WLBS) and Job Stress Questionnaire (JSQ). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The result showed that there is a significant influence of EQ on work-life balance [t (118) = 18.36, p<.01] and job stress [t (118) = -7.86, p<.01] among the participants. The dimensions of EI of altruism [t (118) = 3.44, p<.01], sportsmanship [t (118) = 2.32, p<.01]; and courtesy [t (118) = 4.01, p<.01] were observed to have significant influence on the work-life balance among the academic staff respectively. There was no significant influence of conscientiousness (a dimension of EQ) on job stress [t (118) = -1.02, p>.05]. Civic virtue (a dimension of EI)  [t (118) = -2.54, p<.01] was also observed to significantly influence job stress among the academic staff in OAU, Ile Ife, Osun State.  The authors recommended training programs in emotional intelligence for academic staff of educational institutions. 

Keywords

Emotional Intelligence, Work-Life Balance, Job Stress, Academic staff.

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