Putting People First: How HR Can Drive Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Apr 27

4 min read

Emotional intelligence (EQ) has been a buzzword in business for years, but for HR professionals, it’s not just a concept—it’s a strategic imperative.

At its core, EQ is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions—both in ourselves and in others. It’s about reading the room, adapting to different personalities, and creating environments where people feel heard, valued, and motivated.

HR sits at the intersection of leadership and the employee experience. That means we have the power and the responsibility to embed emotional intelligence into the fabric of our organizations. But how do we do it?

Why Emotional Intelligence is Critical for HR & Leadership

Leaders drive business objectives, but HR ensures that the people behind those objectives are engaged, supported, and empowered to perform. While understanding data, budgets, and business strategy is crucial, understanding people is equally important.

This is especially true in fast-changing work environments. Change breeds uncertainty, and uncertainty—if not handled properly—leads to fear, disengagement, and turnover. Employees need to trust that their leaders see them as more than just headcount.

In my experience, the best HR professionals and leaders understand how to leverage emotional intelligence to make uncertainty more bearable. I’ve also seen the opposite—leaders sprinting toward the finish line of a change initiative, only to turn around and find their teams confused, disengaged, and frustrated.

So, what role does HR play in ensuring leaders are equipped with EQ?

5 Ways HR Can Drive Emotional Intelligence and People-First Leadership

HR professionals are in a unique position to drive EQ across their organizations. Here’s how:

1. Build EQ into Leadership Development

Many organizations invest in technical training for leaders but neglect EQ training.
HR can incorporate emotional intelligence assessments into leadership programs.
Host workshops on self-awareness, empathy, and active listening.

👉 Action Step: Advocate for EQ-based leadership training as part of onboarding and ongoing development.

2. Make Emotional Intelligence Part of Performance Management

Traditional performance reviews focus on metrics, deliverables, and KPIs but often overlook how leaders interact with and support their teams.
HR can integrate EQ-based competencies (such as coaching, collaboration, and adaptability) into performance evaluations.

👉 Action Step: Partner with leadership teams to redefine performance criteria to include emotional intelligence skills.

3. Lead by Example: Model People-First HR Practices

HR sets the tone for how people are treated in an organization.
If HR only focuses on compliance and policies, we miss opportunities to advocate for people-first solutions.
We need to balance structure with empathy, ensuring that policies reflect the needs of employees, not just the business.

👉 Action Step: Conduct HR policy reviews through a people-first lens—ask, Does this policy empower employees or just enforce rules?

4. Support Emotionally Intelligent Change Management

Change is inevitable, but how we manage it determines employee engagement and retention.
HR can coach leaders on how to communicate change with transparency and empathy.
Employees need psychological safety during times of uncertainty. HR plays a key role in facilitating open dialogue and addressing concerns proactively.

👉 Action Step: Equip managers with EQ-based change management strategies, ensuring they communicate clearly and listen to employee concerns.

5. Advocate for Psychological Safety & Employee Well-Being

Employees are more likely to take risks, innovate, and share ideas when they feel safe, supported, and heard.
HR can build programs that encourage open feedback, reduce fear of failure, and promote mental well-being.
Leaders who lack self-awareness and empathy can create toxic work environments—HR can intervene before disengagement becomes turnover.

👉 Action Step: Implement regular employee pulse surveys focused on psychological safety and workplace culture.

EQ in Action: The Cost of Poor Leadership vs. People-First Success

We’ve all seen leaders who lack emotional intelligence—and the consequences can be damaging to both employees and the business.

Take Elon Musk, for example. While brilliant, he is often cited as a leader with low emotional intelligence. His lack of self-regulation, impulsive decision-making, and conflicts with employees have directly impacted the performance and valuation of X (formerly Twitter):

Twitter was valued at $44 billion before his takeover in 2022.
By early 2024, its valuation had dropped to around $12.5 billion—a 71% decrease.
Advertising revenue declined by over 50% due to chaotic leadership and brand safety concerns.
Mass layoffs (cutting nearly 80% of the workforce) created internal turmoil and low morale.

Now, contrast this with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who led with empathy, collaboration, and a people-first mindset.

When he took over in 2014, Microsoft was facing cultural stagnation and declining relevance.
Instead of ruling with fear, he instilled a growth mindset, encouraging employees to learn, adapt, and innovate together.
Since 2014, Microsoft’s market cap has grown from $300 billion to over $3 trillion.

This is proof that emotional intelligence isn’t just a “soft skill”—it’s a competitive advantage. And HR has the power to embed it into the DNA of an organization.

HR’s Call to Action: Be the Champion of EQ

HR is often the first to see the impact of poor leadership—burnout, disengagement, high turnover. But we also have the power to be the driving force behind emotionally intelligent leadership.

HR professionals—this is our moment to step up.

✅ Push for emotional intelligence in leadership development. ✅ Redefine performance metrics to include EQ-based competencies. ✅ Advocate for psychological safety and people-first policies. ✅ Coach leaders on how to manage change with empathy. ✅ Model emotional intelligence in your own HR practices.

At the end of the day, business success isn’t just about strategy—it’s about people.