Gender, Emotional Intelligence and Employee Commitment in Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies in Nairobi and Kiambu Counties, Kenya

Abstract

The concept of emotional intelligence is becoming popular with more studies being carried out with research overwhelmingly showing that up to 90 per cent of one's performance effectiveness was due to emotional savvy rather than technological knowledge. It is also believed that emotional intelligence allows the person other ways of being and behaving as compared to those emphasized by traditional ideas of intelligence. It is thus possible for the person to develop these alternative ways of being in order to become more effective and efficient in both day-to-day living and in the workplace. Studies looking at the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and critical organizational outcomes suggest that the Emotional Intelligence of employees is an important and practical aspect of organizations. This study presents an overview of the concept of Emotional Intelligence with regard to gender and employee commitment. The study focused in Employees in Kenyan Savings and Credit Co-operative (SACCO) in Kenya with results showing that when combined, all the four main variables of emotional intelligence contributes to 54.5% of employee commitment in males and statistically no influence on females.