MAPPING RESEARCH TRENDS: A BIBLIOMETRIC STUDY ON EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND JOB SATISFACTION IN IT

Emotional intelligence (EI) has now turned out to be a prime determinant of job satisfaction and contributes to employee well-being, workplace relationships, and organizational performance. While much of the literature analyzes EI's influence on leadership and job performance across various sectors, very little literature is concerned with the influence of EI on job satisfaction amongst application-oriented professionals in the information technology (IT) industry. Given the high-pressure environment, frequent technological disruptions, and project-driven culture of work in IT organizations, it is important to get a decent understanding of how EI affects job satisfaction for retaining and engaging employees. The study entails a bibliometric analysis, mapping the research landscape of EI and job satisfaction in IT, key trends in publications, influential authors, and emerging avenues for research.
For the literature analysis, the systematic literature review and bibliometric approach considered three areas of investigation: (1) bibliometric indicators and trends; (2) EI influence on job satisfaction in the IT environment; and (3) identification of knowledge gaps and future directions. The analysis highlighted growing interest in academic research on EI, with applications being suggested to enhance satisfaction in workplaces and decrease occupational stress. Study findings underscored the positive influence of EI on job satisfaction through the development of resilience, interpersonal skills, and emotional regulation. However, only limited bibliometric studies exist about EI-related job satisfaction specifically for IT professionals, creating knowledge gaps that need to be filled, such as examining the influence of emerging technology, dynamics of remote working, and AI-inflected HR strategies.
The results show that upcoming studies will be beneficial if they address cultural differences, digital transformations, and integration between EI and AI-based workforce management tools. These studies fill the gap while providing insights on how organizations can deploy EI to boost employee engagement, productivity, and well-being in IT environments. Hence, this research provides a structured bibliometric perspective and engages the ongoing debate of EI by identifying the gaps in existing knowledge, suggesting future directions.