The most effective way to improve Influence and Employment
With globalisation and automation in the workplace, unemployment and the lack of ability to adapt to new careers is a growing problem throughout the western world.
We all know that losing or changing your job, whatever your age, is never easy. For most people, research suggests, it means a change in social status, disruptions in both work and family roles, plus a loss of self-concept and identity.
PWC estimated that youth unemployment is costing the British economy £45bn per year, as well as blighting the future careers of workers who miss out on jobs in their teens and twenties.
At the other end of the spectrum the outlook is equally bleak, with older adults compared to younger adults receiving fewer job offers and being less likely to find re-employment after losing a job.
How do you improve people’s ability to influence and to sell themselves after they are made redundant or want to change or start their career?
EBW Global Partners in the UK & Finland investigated this question by examining whether boosting Business Emotional Intelligence would improve peoples’ employment chances.
Arffman Consulting Oy and TTS Education, recruited a random sample of 125 unemployed people in Finland to complete the EBW Business EQ assessment.
A second group of employed people, who were matched for gender and age, were asked to complete the EBW EQ assessment and their results were compared to the unemployed group.
The results revealed that the unemployed group scored significantly lower on areas such as: Decision Making, Motivation, Influence and Adaptability. Meaning they were less comfortable at making decisions, less motivated, less driven to influence and less likely to change than those in employment.
Unemployed participants also scored significantly lower in areas such as Empathy and Stress Resilience.
The most significant result was the large difference on self awareness scores, with the unemployed group scoring significantly lower. This finding suggests that the unemployed were less aware of their emotions and behaviours and their impact on others.
The EBW Global Partners in Finland designed a pilot programme to boost the Business Emotional Intelligence of the unemployed, with a view to getting them into full time employment.
The Business EQ Unemployment Influence Programme consisted of 4 stages:
An EBW EQ Assessment Feedback session - to boost self awareness of theirs and others
EQ Group Training – better managing change, decision making, influencing others....., plus practical skills (CV writing, interview skills…).
A one month job placement/educational training - practising new Business EQ skills in work
EBW Business EQ Coaching Review and next steps
The results
Thirty unemployed participants were enrolled in the programme, of which 27 participants completed the programme. 21 participants (78%) found regular employment or a study position within one month of the programme end.
Importantly, the programme generated new employment opportunities, with 14% of programme participants being employed in new job roles, where the roles were created specifically for them.
How you can Boost Influence and Impact
The research and the pilot programme highlight the importance of focusing on Business Emotional Intelligence when wanting to improve your impact and influence when changing careers or getting back into work.
Having impact and influence is about relationships and working with others. If you do not invest in the skills to understand others their emotions and how you impact on others it is unlikely you will be able to sell yourself or your services and achieve your career best.
The success of the programme in Finland was the focus on Business EQ which strongly resonated with the participants. Business EQ provides a straightforward and supportive framework of how to succeed at work, plus a positive perspective on strengths and how to have impact and influence others successfully.
It showed how important it is to maintain and build self awareness, focusing on your impact on others, by focusing on the key drivers that underpin Business EQ, your Decision Making, Motivation, Influence and Adaptability (how to cope with change).....
The key takeaway is that to improve people’s ability to have impact and influence you need to boost Business Emotional Intelligence and specifically the emotional and behavioural management of those areas related to work.
Discover how boosting Business Emotional Intelligence improves influence and your ability to sell yourself
If you would you like your leaders and teams to improve their influence and their ability to sell themselves, your products and your services, click a button below to see how investing in Business Emotional Intelligence can make a difference or find an EBW Certified Partner to help you.
