We talk a lot about productivity, skills and engagement but there’s a quieter factor shaping all three: emotional intelligence.

And right now, the data suggests we’re in short supply.

A new Frontiers in Psychology study spanning 28,000 people across 166 countries has found that global EQ scores have fallen nearly 6% since 2019 – a trend researchers are calling an “emotional recession.”

At the same time, UK-specific research shows emotional skills are becoming more critical than ever for performance, leadership, and retention.

The problem? Few organisations are actively developing them.

The UK Data: What’s Really Going On

• According to Capgemini UK, 83% of organisations now say emotional intelligence will be a prerequisite for success within the next few years. Yet only 26% have embedded it into their leadership development or talent strategies.
• 61% of UK employees believe their skills will become redundant within three years, and they rank adaptability, empathy and collaboration (all rooted in EQ) as the most valuable future skills.
• From the CIPD Health & Wellbeing Report (2025):
  
  • Poor relationships with colleagues were cited by 75% of UK workers as a key cause of stress.
    
  • Employees who feel unsupported by their line managers are 63% more likely to report a decline in mental health.
    
  • 1 in 4 say their job has a negative impact on their mental wellbeing.
    
• And according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace (UK edition), only 11% of UK employees strongly agree that their organisation genuinely cares about their wellbeing – down from 17% just three years ago.
  

Put simply: we’re in an era of high cognitive demand, low emotional capacity, and increasing disconnection.

Why EQ is the Missing Piece of the Productivity Puzzle

Emotional intelligence isn’t soft. It’s strategic. The data consistently shows that people with higher EQ:

• perform up to 20% better,
  
• report 10x stronger wellbeing, and
  
• are more resilient during change and uncertainty.
  

But EQ isn’t something that happens naturally in the flow of work anymore. Hybrid structures, screen-mediated communication and rising burnout have all weakened the very skills that hold teams together: empathy, optimism, and intrinsic motivation. That’s the quiet cost of the emotional recession.

How to Rebuild Emotional Intelligence at Work

It’s not about workshops once a year. It’s about weaving emotional skill-building into daily leadership habits. Here’s where to start.

1. Make EQ a leadership metric

Move beyond “technical performance” and track behaviours that signal emotional maturity – how leaders listen, regulate stress, and handle feedback. Tie these to performance reviews and promotion criteria.

2. Equip managers to coach, not control

Managers account for 70% of variance in team engagement (Gallup). Equip them with emotional coaching tools – how to check in effectively, read tone and energy, and hold space for tension rather than avoid it.

3. Bring meaning back into work

The Frontiers study found the steepest EQ decline in “drive-related skills” – things like optimism and purpose. Reconnect people to the “why” of their role through storytelling, shared goals, and meaningful recognition.

4. Normalise emotional reflection

Short reflective moments – “what felt easy / hard this week?”, “what energy are you bringing into this meeting?” – help teams strengthen awareness and empathy. This is micro-EQ in action.

5. Measure what matters

Include emotional culture indicators in pulse surveys:

• “How supported do you feel by your manager?”
• “Do you feel psychological safety to speak up?”

Use these to track emotional climate, not just engagement.

The Opportunity Ahead

While emotional intelligence is declining globally, the UK has a unique opportunity to lead the way in rebuilding it — especially as organisations grapple with burnout, hybrid tension, and cultural fragmentation.

Because the truth is: the next wave of productivity won’t come from doing more… it’ll come from relating better.

And this shift doesn’t require grand programmes or annual workshops. It starts with small, everyday practices that build the emotional muscles teams need to thrive.

If you’re looking for a practical way to embed EQ into daily leadership habits, the new Glow Guides: EQ Practice Pack was designed for exactly this – weekly micro-challenges, reflection questions, and real-world scripts to help managers build emotional intelligence in the flow of work, not outside it.

Small shifts, done consistently, create emotionally stronger teams and emotionally stronger workplaces.

DM us on LinkedIn to get your first Glow Guide free.