Stress and emotional intelligence: a study among software professionals in Chennai

Abstract

Stress is a subject of interest to individuals and organizations. Stress is an intrinsic part of work and a critical element of achievement, without a certain amount of which one would never perform at all. But when the stress exceeds the level and persists for a long time, it affects the individual. On the personal side, stress is exhibited physically, psychologically and behaviorally. On the organizational side, stress results in lower productivity and increased absenteeism. Emotional intelligence is identified to be influencing occupational stress. Stress is conceived mainly as an emotional reaction (usually negative) to various environmental stimuli. This paper aims to identify the impact of emotional intelligence on stress experienced by software professionals. Primary data were collected from 200 software professionals working in Chennai, the state capital of Tamilnadu, India. Stress is measured using Occupational Stress Index scale developed by Srivastava and Singh. Emotional Intelligence is measured using Emotional Intelligence Scale developed by Bar-On. The results prove that emotional intelligence has an impact on the stress experienced. All the dimensions of emotional intelligence are found to be influencing the dimensions of stress. Many researches have proved that emotional intelligence can be developed. So the training modules on stress management can incorporate emotional intelligence as a part.