doi: 10.58763/rc2025503

Scientific and Technological Research

Emotional intelligence management as a strategy to improve productivity in medium-sized companies: An analysis of the municipality of Comayagua, Honduras

Gestión de la inteligencia emocional como estrategia para mejorar la productividad en medianas empresas: Un análisis del municipio de Comayagua, Honduras

Rosbym Monico Padilla Ávila¹ *, Juan Fernando Paz García² *, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández¹ *

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Improving the competitiveness of medium-sized companies depends on their ability to improve productivity. A key factor in achieving this is the development of emotional intelligence among employees, enabling them to successfully face and manage the business challenges of an increasingly globalized world.

Methodology: The study analyzed the strategies implemented by medium-sized companies in the municipality of Comayagua, Honduras, to strengthen the emotional skills of their human talent. The research was based on a quantitative approach with a descriptive scope.

Results: From the managers’ perspective, the importance of emotional intelligence, their level of knowledge, and the benefits associated with its application were evaluated. Among the benefits, productivity, staff stability and satisfaction, improved handling of difficult situations, and customer service stood out.

Conclusions: The findings underscore that emotional intelligence is a fundamental tool for promoting organizational effectiveness, as the regulation of emotions allows activities to be carried out with quality and warmth. Therefore, it is concluded that the development of emotional intelligence among workers contributes to improving the level of productivity of their company.

Keywords: Administration, business, intelligence, labour productivity

JEL Classification: D24, J24.

RESUMEN

Introducción: El mejoramiento de la competitividad de la mediana empresa depende de su capacidad de mejorar la productividad. Un factor clave para lograrlo es el desarrollo de la inteligencia emocional de sus colaboradores, para de esta forma poder enfrentar y gestionar con éxito los retos empresariales del mundo empresarial cada vez más globalizado.

Metodología: El estudio analizó las estrategias implementadas por las medianas empresas del municipio de Comayagua, Honduras, para fortalecer las competencias emocionales de su talento humano. La investigación se sustentó en un enfoque cuantitativo con alcance descriptivo.

Resultados: Desde la perspectiva de los gerentes, se evalúa la importancia de la inteligencia emocional, su nivel de conocimiento y los beneficios asociados a su aplicación. Entre los beneficios destacaron la productividad, la estabilidad y satisfacción del personal, la mejora en el manejo de situaciones difíciles y en la atención al cliente.

Conclusiones: Los hallazgos subrayan que la inteligencia emocional es una herramienta fundamental para fomentar la efectividad organizacional, pues la regulación de las emociones permite realizar las actividades con calidad y calidez. Por lo tanto, se concluye que el desarrollo de la inteligencia emocional de los trabajadores contribuye a mejorar el nivel de productividad de su empresa.

Palabras clave: Administración, empresa, inteligencia, productividad laboral

Clasificación JEL: D24, J24.

Received: 28-11-2025          Revised: 20-02-2025          Accepted: 07-05-2025          Published: 31-07-2025

Editor: Alfredo Javier Pérez Gamboa

¹Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras. Comayagua, Honduras.

²Ministerio Publico. Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Cite as: Padilla Ávila, R. M., Paz García, J. F. y Padilla Hernández, S. G. (2025). Gestión de la inteligencia emocional como estrategia para mejorar la productividad en medianas empresas: Un análisis del municipio de Comayagua, Honduras. Región Científica, 4(2), 2025503. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2025503

INTRODUCTION

The central region of Honduras, specifically the Comayagua Valley, is establishing itself as one of the most economically competitive regions in the country (Ávila Velásquez et al., 2023). Medium-sized enterprises play a fundamental role in this development, but face challenges related to human talent management. Comayagua, the main municipality in this region, covers an area of 834.20 km² and has an urban area of 83.00 km². Geographically, it is located in the center of Honduras (Sosa Caballero, 2024). Its location is enviable, as it lies between the country's two largest urban and commercial centers: San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa. It is economically essential because of the large agricultural and industrial production in this valley (Sosa Caballero, 2024).

Over the last decade, this region has shown significant economic progress, consolidating itself as the most competitive area in Honduras with a score of 62.6 according to the First Regional Competitiveness Index. This report, published on September 28, 2022, by the Institute for Economic and Social Research of the UNAH (IIES-UNAH), the National Investment Council (CNI), and the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (COHEP), recognizes its leadership in national development (UNAH, 2022).

The Law for the Promotion and Development of MSME Competitiveness (Ley para el Fomento y Desarrollo de la Competitividad de la Micro, Pequeña y Mediana Empresa, 2009) establishes in Article 3 that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises constitute urban and rural economic units classified by operational scale. Microenterprises are defined as entities with a minimum structure of 1 to 10 employees (including the owner), while medium-sized enterprises employ between 51 and 150 workers, have greater investment in fixed assets, maintain optimal working capital balances, implement a functional division of labor, and formalize their accounting and administrative records. This categorization applies the combined criteria of annual sales volume and paid personnel.

The authors' research experience warns of the vulnerability of microenterprises to insufficient management training, intense competition, and market demands. Given this problem, the proposal by Acevedo-Duque et al. (2021) is relevant, arguing that organizations must adopt innovative management strategies to transform themselves into proactive, decentralized, and adaptive entities, where human talent competencies are the fundamental axis for achieving organizational objectives in challenging business environments. In this regard, the present research aims to analyze the strategies implemented by medium-sized companies in the municipality of Comayagua, Honduras, to strengthen the emotional intelligence skills of their human talent, their level of knowledge, and the benefits of its application, such as productivity, stability, and staff satisfaction, as well as improvements in the management of critical situations and customer service.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Goleman (2010) conceptualized emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize one's own and others' feelings, self-motivate, and manage intra- and interpersonal relationships. This ability represents a functional domain that is distinct but complementary to cognitive intelligence, which explains paradoxical phenomena where individuals with high IQs but poor emotional development occupy subordinate positions compared to leaders with lower academic abilities but greater emotional control. Essentially, emotional intelligence allows for the cultivation of self-motivation, impulse control, mood regulation, and systemic relational skills.

Complementarily, literature define this competence as the dual ability to understand and manage individual and collective emotions within relational environments (Drame et al., 2021; Hwang & Kim, 2023). This skill, as supported by Goleman's famous postulate (2010), shows a significant correlation with professional success: while only 10% of job performance depends on IQ, the remaining 90% is directly linked to emotional skills. This evidence reinforces the decisive role of emotional management in the effective development of professional skills (Acheampong et al., 2023).

Along these lines, the literature defines emotional intelligence as the human capacity to perceive, understand, regulate, and modify emotional states in oneself and others (Piccerillo & Digennaro, 2025). Within this framework, authors link this concept to Chiavenato's (2011) approach, pointing out that comprehensive treatment of employees through integration, motivation, retention, and guidance processes is a key factor in achieving organizational objectives.

In addition, Aragón Zepeda (2019) adds to the characterization of emotional intelligence as a multidimensional construct composed of four fundamental components: self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and interpersonal relationship management. These competencies determine individual behavior, reactions to external stimuli, and the way people relate to themselves and their environment.

From this perspective, emotional intelligence encompasses dynamic skills that can be learned and developed, which directly influence the effective performance of tasks and the achievement of goals. Mastering these skills allows individuals to seek alternatives for a fulfilling life, make firm decisions, build effective relationships, capitalize on their abilities, and face adversity with resilience. Aragón Zepeda (2019) emphasizes that emotional self-control, self-motivation, and the management of external relationships generate systemic benefits that transcend the workplace, enhancing both functional success and personal fulfillment.

In this regard, Kohn (2024) postulate that emotional intelligence enables employees to assertively decode individual and collective needs, facilitating active listening, contextualized interpretation, and strategic communication that optimize interpersonal relationships. The literature highlights how current selection processes prioritize the assessment of emotional competencies through highly demanding simulations or controlled stress, where candidates' ability to self-regulate affective responses in adverse conditions is examined (Doǧru, 2022; Ramos-Villagrasa et al., 2022). This relevance highlights an emerging organizational paradigm: companies no longer require only technical and intellectual skills, but also significantly value the adaptive triad—operational resilience, proactive conflict resolution, and dialogic empathy—as the core of professional suitability.

In this context, Gurusinghe et al. (2021) emphasize that human capital, through the applied exercise of its capabilities, is the main catalyst for business competitiveness. Effectiveness in the performance of tasks and the optimal mobilization of emotional competencies are thus key variables in ensuring the sustainability of the organizational system.

According to Goleman (2010), the application of EI in the organizational world has been widely studied, defining it as the ability to recognize and regulate one's own emotions, as well as those of others, which influences job performance. According to recent studies, emotional intelligence impacts motivation, leadership, and decision-making (Sharma & Tiwari, 2024; Watanabe et al., 2024). Companies that prioritize the emotional development of their staff achieve greater stability, reduce turnover, and increase operational efficiency (Ertiö et al., 2024; Korakis & Poulaki, 2025).

For their part, Castillo-Castillo et al. (2024) establish an inherent connection between physical and mental states, arguing that employees' emotions directly influence work productivity during their daily activities. The authors maintain that an unmotivated employee or one with poorly developed emotional intelligence is unlikely to achieve optimal levels of efficiency and commitment. In this sense, they affirm that knowledge and management of emotional intelligence are indispensable for organizational productivity, as they allow all hierarchical levels (managerial, middle, and operational) to recognize, understand, and regulate their own and others' emotions. This competence increases the probability of managing stress, maintaining work balance, resolving conflicts, and generating environments characterized by tranquility, harmony, and well-being, significantly impacting productive performance.

Specifically in the context of entrepreneurship, Pathak & Muralidharan (2024) emphasize the central role of personnel as a fundamental resource and key player in business success or failure. Consequently, they point out that entrepreneurs, managers, and bosses must provide employees with material, intellectual, and emotional tools that optimize their performance in the tasks defined in the job descriptions for each position.

Schmodde & Wehner (2024) add to the ideas of Pathak & Muralidharan (2024) that entrepreneurs focus their efforts on sustainability and improving productivity and profitability, for which they provide inputs, machinery, methods, systems, adapted environments, and, above all, human resources. Complementarily, Acevedo-Duque et al. (2021) highlight that organizations face the dual challenge of maintaining competitive adaptability in their sector and generating prospects that foster creativity and innovation. This situation involves implementing shared actions with collaborators, aligning efforts toward efficiency, contributing to knowledge management, and promoting cooperative learning networks with social responsibility.

Organizational productivity depends critically on human capital, which requires prioritizing job satisfaction strategies. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted workers' physical and mental health, it is essential to understand that employees are not mechanical resources, but human beings whose psychosocial needs must be integrated into business management.

Post-pandemic remote working has generated psychosocial risks such as isolation and blurring of work-life boundaries, driving the adoption of hybrid models that offer spatial flexibility and increase job satisfaction. García-Martínez et al. (2022) confirm that such satisfaction directly influences productivity, although they stress that it requires strategic coordination between senior management and human resources. This synergy should be geared toward creating work environments where workers feel that their needs are being met, thereby enhancing their alignment with business objectives. This premise is in line with Herzberg's theory: satisfied employees are more motivated and, consequently, increase their productive performance (De Oliveira et al., 2023).

Aragón Zepeda (2019) conceptualizes work performance as the ability to produce higher quality results with less time and effort, demonstrating the functional effectiveness of personnel as evaluated through their organizational performance. Complementarily, the author defines work performance as the degree of fulfillment of job requirements, executing functions efficiently to achieve established goals. According to her observations, professionals with high emotional mastery demonstrate distinctive characteristics: self-control, self-motivation, collective inspiration, collaborative work, proactive initiative, and regulated influence on group moods. These competencies are linked to self-knowledge, decision-making confidence, ethical commitment, integrity, and strategic communication. Zepeda argues that professional success depends 70-90% on these emotional competencies, significantly exceeding the contribution of intellectual aptitudes.

For their part, Sadovyy et al. (2021) emphasize the relevance of emotional intelligence for organizational and individual development, providing a renewed paradigm for interpreting behaviors and predicting success in relational dynamics. The authors posit that cultivating emotional skills equips individuals with catalytic tools that enhance operational creativity, optimize interpersonal relationships, strengthen performance confidence, and, consequently, ensure effectiveness in achieving objectives.

Coronado Maldonado and Benítez Márquez (2022) analyze the conceptual evolution of emotional intelligence, highlighting its contemporary manifestation as the ability to decode affective reactions in social contexts and use this understanding to strategically influence through contextualized emotional regulation. This competence is a fundamental element for effective leadership and synergy in work teams within modern organizations.

Binsaeed et al. (2023) argue that human talent requires emotional intelligence to perform tasks and responsibilities efficiently. These authors highlight that contemporary organizations recognize that organizational success lies in the ability of employees to manage their emotions and identify those of others.

Enríquez Chugá et al. (2021) identify strategic advantages of implementing emotional intelligence in companies: optimization of job performance, improved communication and collaborative work, conflict prevention, creation of environments that validate ideas/emotions, leadership development, greater adaptability to change, reduced staff turnover, and strengthened self-esteem. These elements converge in greater personal satisfaction and organizational performance.

About productivity, Enríquez Chugá et al. (2021) establish a directly proportional relationship between organizational performance and emotional intelligence, attributing it to the influence of employee and manager attitudes. Similarly, Selvi & Aiswarya (2023) conceptualize productivity as the systemic relationship between production volume and resources used, emphasizing its multifactorial nature. The author points out that, among the internal/external factors that determine it, human resources are the critical element.

Recently, Coleman & Ali (2025) warn against the undervaluation of emotional intelligence, attributing it to a lack of knowledge about its applications. These authors highlight its potential as a factor for administrative success: having emotionally intelligent teams—capable of adapting to challenges, managing change, and exercising contextualized understanding—is an essential operational strategy for continuous improvement in advanced organizations.

Finally, this theoretical analysis concludes with the ideas of Ramírez-Torres (2023), who posits that the development of productivity and competitiveness requires systemic human talent management that integrates behavioral variables, labor policies, and organizational strategies. The author emphasizes that human management systems generate economic value by enhancing competitive advantages in personnel, which translate into differentiating factors for brand positioning.

METHODOLOGY

This study implemented a quantitative approach using a non-experimental cross-sectional design. To this end, a structured questionnaire was administered to a probabilistic sample of 339 medium-sized companies in the municipality of Comayagua, Honduras. The research analyzed key variables: the level of knowledge about emotional intelligence, current implementation strategies, and the perception of the impact of these practices on organizational productivity. Data processing was performed using descriptive statistics.

As Hernández-Sampieri and Mendoza (2020) point out, the quantitative approach is based on quantifiable empirical data that, when analyzed statistically, allow hypotheses to be tested to define behavioral regularities and validate theoretical constructs. This methodological framework was aligned with our descriptive scope, allowing us to characterize observable phenomena in the Honduran business context without manipulating variables. The choice of a cross-sectional design responded to the need to capture a representative snapshot of emotional and productive dynamics at a specific point in time.

The study population or universe was all medium-sized companies in the municipality of Comayagua. According to the Municipal Councilor of Comayagua, there are 2,665 such companies, and a list with general information on each was obtained by the authors from the head of the tax control department of the Comayagua Municipal Council. Finally, the authors used the calculation formula for finite populations (detailed below) to establish the optimal sample size:

The sample size was determined using the formula for finite populations, where Z = 1.96 (standard normal distribution for 95% confidence), N = 2,665 (total number of medium-sized companies in Comayagua), *p* = 0.5 (probability of occurrence of the phenomenon), *q* = 0.5 (probability of non-occurrence), and *e* = 0.05 (margin of error). This calculation yielded a minimum of 339 companies, selected by simple random sampling with numbers generated in STATS™ 2.0 (Decision Analyst).

Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires. During the design of the instrument, variables were defined according to their operationalization, measurement levels were verified, and items were coded. After a pilot test, the instrument was adjusted incorporating expert feedback. The questions used a closed format, starting with neutral items of low complexity and progressing toward dimensions of greater thematic depth.

For the analysis of responses, a 100% percentage scale was implemented, which facilitated the weighting of results using tables and graphical representations. Statistical processing applied descriptive fundamentals (frequencies, proportions) supported by specialized software. In addition, authors integrated qualitative analyses derived from open-ended responses to the instrument.

The findings are presented using figures generated with descriptive statistics. Sources of information included scientific literature, institutional documents, and primary data obtained through interviews with managers and decision-makers from medium-sized companies identified in collaboration with the Comayagua Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Municipal Mayor's Office.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings indicate that 92.9% of decision-makers in medium-sized companies in Comayagua are familiar with the concept of emotional intelligence. Furthermore, 97.1% believe that it has a positive influence on work productivity. However, only 69% of companies actively manage emotional intelligence. Among the main barriers identified are a lack of awareness of its importance (61.5%) and a shortage of financial resources (12.9%) (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Initial diagnosis

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

The study confirmed that the implementation of motivational and emotional intelligence training programs improves job satisfaction, strengthens interpersonal relationships, and optimizes organizational performance. Thus, the analysis shows that companies that prioritize these strategies report higher talent retention and a more positive work environment (Figure 2).

Figure 2.

Summary of the main findings

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

The most relevant results of the research are presented below, following the indicators of the instrument used. First, the questionnaire was administered to 339 medium-sized companies in the municipality of Comayagua, specifically to decision-makers. In terms of gender, 50.7% were women and the remaining 49.3% were men. Of the decision-makers interviewed, 48.7% were in the 28-37 age range, 24.5% were between 38 and 47, 22.4% were between 18 and 27, 5.8% were between 48 and 57, and the remaining 1.3% were over 57 (Figure 3).

Figure 3.

Demographic data of the decision-makers surveyed

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

In terms of the sector in which medium-sized enterprises in the municipality of Comayagua operate, the results show that 57% of medium-sized enterprises are in the commercial sector, which is the highest percentage. In terms of type, 21% belong to the services sector, 12% to financial services, 7% to industry, 2% to hardware stores, and 1% to exports (Figure 4).

Figure 4.

Sector of medium-sized enterprises in the municipality of Comayagua

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

In addition, the data reveal that 70% of decision-makers have been operating for more than five years, 17% have been operating for three to four years, and 13% have been operating for one to two years (Figure 5). In this regard, it is important to note that the specialized literature indicates that during this period, mainly due to the multidimensional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of SME closures in Latin America increased considerably (Feitosa & Mascarini, 2025). Furthermore, Díaz & Henríquez (2024) observed dynamics marked by mental health, as well as a strong relationship between psychological well-being and the level of economic activity.

Figure 5.

Years of operation of medium-sized enterprises in the municipality of Comayagua

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

92.9% of decision-makers know the meaning of emotional intelligence. Meanwhile, only 7.1% of decision-makers said they did not know what emotional intelligence was. The importance of this finding is vital, as it indicates that the minimum conceptual foundations exist for the development of emotional intelligence as an organizational process. Added to this is the argument put forward by Pathak & Muralidharan (2024), who emphasize the cultural sensitivity of the term, as it is associated with social conventions, norms, and organizational values, among other factors that condition the expression of emotional intelligence.

On the other hand, 24% of decision-makers consider emotional intelligence applied to companies to be good, 37% consider it to be excellent, and 39% consider it to be excellent (Figure 6). In this sense, the study by Jaboob et al. (2025) shows that emotional intelligence is not only a fundamental process, but that its observation by decision-makers and managers of small businesses is critical at the individual level and as a basis for their leadership.

Figure 6

Perception of the importance of applying emotional intelligence in companies

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

69% of decision-makers manage emotional intelligence in their company, while 31% believe that emotional intelligence is not managed in their company. On the other hand, 90% of decision-makers say they would like to manage emotional intelligence in their company, although 10% disagree with this statement. The results of the research reveal that decision-makers consider it important and valuable to apply emotional intelligence to the human talent in their companies in order to improve productivity and achieve success in reaching their objectives (Figure 7).

Figure 7.

Emotional intelligence management in the company's human talent

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

Similarly, when decision-makers were asked, “How important do you consider emotional intelligence management in your employees?” 1% considered it not important at all, 3% considered it somewhat important, 20% agreed that it was important, 42% considered it very important, and 34% considered it extremely important (figure 8). These results can be understood in light of the findings of Schmodde & Wehner (2024), who argue that the literature on the role of emotion in entrepreneurship management remains fragmented, with multiple theories and approaches present in its treatment. This disparity is, in turn, reflected in the representation of the importance attributed by decision-makers.

Figure 8.

Managing emotional intelligence in employees

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

99.4% of decision-makers consider the motivation of their company's human talent to be important. Only 0.6% consider it unimportant. In this regard, the theoretical framework of the research revealed that one of the most important motivating factors is the sense of achievement for the employee, as well as the feeling that the actions they perform are meaningful. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize their participation in the fulfillment of their duties.

Of the decision-makers surveyed, 97.10% consider that emotional intelligence has a direct and positive influence on the productivity of their employees, while 2.90% do not. Similarly, when decision-makers were asked whether their company implements motivational programs for the development of emotional intelligence among their employees, 75% said yes, and 25% said that their companies do not develop programs of this nature (Figure 9).

Figure 9.

Implementation of motivational programs for the development of emotional intelligence among employees

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

Regarding the influence of emotional intelligence on organizational behavior and worker productivity, 57% believe that it has a significant influence, 29% said that it has a considerable influence, 11% responded that it has a moderate influence, 2% responded that it has little influence, and 1% responded that it has very little influence (Figure 10). About the previous indicator, decision-makers were asked whether they consider emotional intelligence to be a key tool for business success. Ninety-six percent believe it is, while 4% said it is not (Figure 11).

Figure 10.

Influence of emotional intelligence on organizational behavior and employee productivity

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

Figure 11.

Emotional intelligence as a key tool for business success

Source: own elaboration.

Note: the figure is in its original language.

Sixty-one percent of decision-makers believe that the leading difficulty companies face in implementing emotional intelligence is a lack of awareness of its importance. Meanwhile, 26% believe it is due to a lack of interest on the part of management, and 13% believe it is due to a lack of financial resources (Figure 12).

Figure 12.

Factors limiting emotional intelligence as a key tool for business success

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

In relation to decision-makers' interest in the emotional state of their employees, 71.1% said they were interested, 20% said they were not interested, and 8.9% said they were sometimes interested (Figure 13). On the other hand, 81% of decision-makers believe that managing the emotional intelligence of human talent in their company would improve interpersonal relationships and the work environment, 16% do not consider it that important, and 3% disagree (Figure 14).

Figure 13.

Interest in the emotional state of employees when performing their activities at the company

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

Figure 14.

Management of emotional intelligence in human talent and its impact on interpersonal relationships and the work environment

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

96% of decision-makers consider that the emotional intelligence of their employees is important for decision-making, while 4% believe that emotional intelligence does not affect decision-making. The research reveals that 97.4% believe that implementing motivational strategies for their employees based on emotional intelligence will make them feel satisfied to be part of the company. In comparison, 2.6% believe that implementing such strategies will not influence employees (Figure 15).

Figure 15.

Perceptions of the influence of emotional intelligence on decision-making and job satisfaction

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

96.2% of decision-makers are aware of the importance of managing their employees' emotional intelligence. On a positive note, 3.8% are not aware of the importance of good emotional intelligence management in their employees. However, when decision-makers were asked about factors related to emotional intelligence that have improved in their company through emotional intelligence management, 12% considered that interpersonal relationships had improved, the same percentage considered that decision-making had improved, and 18% said that productivity had increased. Finally, 57.1% believe that all the factors consulted have improved by implementing emotional intelligence management in companies (Figure 16).

Figure 16.

Factors that have improved through the management of emotional intelligence in human talent

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

The results show a clear trend among decision-makers: only 3% do not consider emotional intelligence to be a key factor for productivity and business success, while 12% remain neutral. This contrasts significantly with the 85% who do recognize its value, linking it directly to increased productivity and organizational competitiveness through effective management of these skills in their employees (Figure 17).

Figure 17.

Emotional intelligence as a key aspect for maintaining productivity and achieving business success

Source: own elaboration

Note: the figure is in its original language

CONCLUSIONS

The research shows a direct relationship between emotional intelligence and productivity in medium-sized companies in Comayagua. Managers must implement training programs to strengthen the emotional skills of their staff. Further studies are recommended to explore how to integrate emotional intelligence strategies into the organizational culture in a sustainable manner.

Applying the dimensions of emotional intelligence in organizational settings significantly enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of job performance. Strategic management of these skills generates synergistic benefits for both employees and institutions by facilitating the development of high-performance teams with differentiated socio-emotional skills. When implemented in the workplace, these skills optimize operational results and substantially increase levels of business productivity.

The research revealed that most managers and decision-makers consider it important to manage the emotional intelligence of human talent through the motivation of their employees, to make them feel satisfied to be part of the company, improve interpersonal relationships, and achieve total success for the company as a team.

There is a direct relationship between the emotional intelligence of human talent and productivity in medium-sized companies. In this regard, managers and decision-makers need to strengthen the emotional intelligence skills of their human talent. To this end, authors suggest the implementation of ongoing training programs tailored to the specific needs of human talent. Further research is recommended to explore this topic in greater depth, given that the municipality of Comayagua is the area with the greatest socioeconomic and business potential in the central region of the country.

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FINANCING

The authors did not receive funding for the development of this research.

DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researchers would like to thank the Municipal Councilor of Comayagua, Comayagua, Ms. Evelyn Perdomo, and the head of the Tax Control Department of the Municipal Council of Comayagua, Mr. José Eleno López, as well as all the managers and employees of the companies consulted, for their valuable contribution, providing us with information and participating in the interviews.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Conceptualization: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila, Juan Fernando Paz García, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández.

Data curation: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila.

Formal analysis: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila.

Research: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila, Juan Fernando Paz García, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández.

Methodology: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila.

Project management: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila.

Supervision: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila.

Validation: Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila, Juan Fernando Paz García, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández.

Visualization: Not applicable Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila, Juan Fernando Paz García, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández.

Writing – original draft: Not applicable Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila, Juan Fernando Paz García, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández.

Writing – review and editing: Not applicable Rosbym Mónico Padilla Ávila, Juan Fernando Paz García, Sergio Gerardo Padilla Hernández.