Has the HR sector become less emotionally intelligent?

It might be expected that Human Resources professionals have higher Emotional Intelligence (EI) than many other job sectors, as much of their work involves people development. However, research by JCA has shown there to be a significant decline in EI within the HR sector. Compared with eight other job sectors, HR has plunged from second position in 2012 to seventh position in 2015. This now falls below industries such as the financial, health, retail and sales sectors.*

This is a worrying trend, as a reduction in EI is often associated with lower morale and disengagement. It may also be incumbent upon HR professionals to practise what they preach and to demonstrate the highest standards of EI in their personal development. One reason for this drop may be due to significant changes taking place over the last few years in the HR sector. For example, 50% of HR departments have gone through structural changes in the last two years (CIPD 2014-15).  Inevitably these changes will require greater capacity to manage workload and cope with uncertainty.