Assessing Emotional Intelligence among Employees in the Private Hospitality Sector: An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach

Sadia Nawaz¹, Shujauddin Khan^2,*, Jamal Abdul Nasir³

¹Sadia Nawaz Department of Business Management, Integral University, Lucknow, India

²Dr. Shujauddin Khan Department of Commerce, Integral University, Lucknow, India

³Dr. Jamal Abdul Nasir Author Department of Commerce, Integral University, Lucknow, India

Emails: razian@student.iul.ac.in; shujauddin@iul.ac.in; jansari@iul.ac.in

Abstract

The hospitality industry is rapidly evolving, with intense competition among organizations striving to attract and retain customers. One of the key factors influencing customer satisfaction and loyalty is the emotional intelligence of employees. Higher emotional intelligence fosters positive behavior, which enhances customer experience and engagement. This study aims to identify and prioritize the most critical factors and sub-factors of emotional intelligence in the private hospitality sector. Data for this research has been collected from hospitality businesses in the Lucknow region. The prioritization process is carried out using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a widely used multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique. The rankings derived from AHP provide valuable insights into the key attributes of emotional intelligence that employees should focus on for professional growth. By understanding these priorities, hospitality employees can enhance their emotional intelligence, leading to improved customer interactions, better teamwork, and overall organizational success.

Keywords: Emotional intelligence; Emotional intelligence attributes; Multi-criteria decision-making; Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); AHP for Emotional Intelligence; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Prioritization of Emotional Intelligence Factors