Emotional Intelligence at Work: Statistics & Research
A reference for journalists, editors, and researchers covering workplace emotional intelligence, manager effectiveness, and employee retention. Every figure below is attributed to its original source — no number on this page is unsourced. Compiled and maintained by Grace Holding AG, a Swiss EI training and coaching firm.
What the research says about emotional intelligence, retention, and the real cost of losing people.
63%
Less voluntary turnover among people selected and developed for emotional competence
L'Oréal, cited in the EI Consortium's Business Case for Emotional Intelligence (Goleman)
14%
Reduced turnover in companies that invest in employee development and strengths-based coaching
Gallup
0.5–2×
Typical cost of replacing an employee, as a multiple of their annual salary
Gallup, with cost-per-hire and time-to-fill benchmarks from SHRM
20–30%
Directional attrition reduction associated with a validated EI development programme
Directional estimate based on TalentSmart, Korn Ferry, and the 2025 ICF Global Coaching Study
Performance, engagement & coaching ROI
Why manager and leadership EI development shows up in performance and engagement numbers.
18.1%
More business closed by financial advisors trained specifically in emotional competence, vs. a matched control group
American Express EI Consortium Study
35%
Increase in on-the-job performance following customised leadership development programmes
Korn Ferry
7×
Average ROI for executive coaching — among the highest of any HR intervention measured
2025 ICF / PwC Global Coaching Study
20–25%
Directional engagement improvement associated with a validated EI development programme
Directional estimate based on TalentSmart, Korn Ferry, and the 2025 ICF Global Coaching Study
On the wider range sometimes cited (engagement, productivity, team performance, attrition, manager effectiveness, financial outcomes): these are typical ranges reported across third-party research (Gallup, TalentSmart, Korn Ferry, O'Boyle et al.), not a single study's finding, and not yet Grace's own independently validated result — Grace's own longitudinal validation study is in development. Journalists citing a specific figure should cite the underlying study directly (see full source list below), not "Grace's research."
Wellbeing & the cost of inaction
What happens when EI and manager effectiveness gaps go unaddressed.
4:1
Return on investment in workplace mental-health support
WHO / Lancet research
—
Millions of working days lost each year to work-related stress, anxiety and depression
UK Health & Safety Executive
—
Low engagement is linked to measurable losses in productivity and higher absenteeism
Gallup, State of the Global Workplace
—
A large share of voluntary turnover is attributable to factors employers can directly influence
The Work Institute Retention Report
Grace's own client results
Real, named outcomes from Grace's own engagements — not third-party research, and not yet independently validated. Presented as applied evidence, not a controlled study.
50%
Drop in conflict resolution time within six months of an EI engagement
MYDEE Media LLC, Professional Services, USA — named Grace client
22%
Lift in team performance during a critical growth phase
weCan live-marketing GmbH, Workforce Solutions, Germany — named Grace client
19%
Rise in employee well-being vs. employees who did not receive coaching
Inovis AG, Management Consulting, Switzerland — named Grace client
Full source list
Every citation used above, for verification. Where Grace has not run or does not have access to the primary study, this list points to the organisation or publication credited as the original source.
American Express EI Consortium Study — cited via the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations.
L'Oréal retention study — cited in Daniel Goleman's "Business Case for Emotional Intelligence" (EI Consortium).
Gallup — State of the Global Workplace; employee replacement cost research; strengths-based development and turnover research.
Korn Ferry (incl. Korn Ferry / Hay Group ESCI 360 instrument) — leadership development performance research.
2025 ICF / PwC Global Coaching Study — International Coaching Federation, coaching ROI research.
TalentSmart — emotional intelligence and workplace performance research.
O'Boyle et al. — meta-analytic research on emotional intelligence and job performance.
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) — cost-per-hire and time-to-fill benchmarks.
The Work Institute — annual Retention Report.
UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) — work-related stress, anxiety and depression statistics.
World Health Organization / The Lancet — workplace mental-health investment ROI research.
Daniel Goleman / Harvard Business Review — emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness, and team results research.
A note on how we source this page: Grace does not fabricate, round up, or extrapolate beyond what a cited source actually states. Figures without a clear original citation are deliberately left off this page rather than presented as sourced. This page is updated as Grace's own validation research matures — see Root Cause for our full attribution methodology.
For journalists
Need a quote, an expert source, or a specific figure verified against its original source? Stuart Kibbe, founder of Grace, is available for interviews and commentary on emotional intelligence, manager effectiveness, retention economics, and the human side of AI transformation. We typically respond within one business day.