The relationship between emotional intelligence and turnover intention: The case of Ho Chi Minh City employees

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to find the role of emotional intelligence on work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion, role of work-family conflict on emotional exhaustion and subsequently the roles of work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion on turnover intention. The final findings strongly supported all the proposed hypotheses. Result shows that emotional intelligence has a negative relationship with work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion (H1 and H2) and the positive relationship between work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion and turnover intention (H3 to H5). The respondents in this study who have high level of work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion will experience high level of turnover intention. On the other hand, high ability of emotional intelligence could lower level of work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion which later influences to reduce employee retention. In term of emotional intelligence, this article reviewed the definition and dimension of emotional intelligence construct and argued its important role in reducing work-family conflict and emotional 47 exhaustion issue which also decrease the turnover intention. Due to the important of this issue, it is strongly recommended to promote the development of emotional skills and reduce work-family conflict, emotional exhaustion and turnover intention.