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Article

Exploring Perceptions toward Emotional Intelligence in Chilean Construction Using a Qualitative Approach

by
Pedro Páez
1,
Felipe Araya
1,
Luis Arturo Salazar
1,
Zulay Giménez
2,
Omar Sánchez
3,
Leonardo Sierra-Varela
4,* and
Briguitte Neculman
5
1
Departamento de Obras Civiles, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso 2390123, Chile
2
School of Civil Construction, Faculty of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Macul, Santiago 7810000, Chile
3
Department of Civil Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
4
Departamento de Ingeniería de Obras Civiles, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4780000, Chile
5
Magíster en Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4780000, Chile
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Buildings 2024, 14(4), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040905
Submission received: 9 November 2023 / Revised: 26 February 2024 / Accepted: 18 March 2024 / Published: 27 March 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Construction Worker Professionalization under Industry 4.0)
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
This study aims to analyze the perceptions of construction experts in the Chilean construction industry regarding emotional intelligence. This exploratory and qualitative study is based on data collected through semi-structured interviews with construction professionals. The collected data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis (QCA) technique to leverage how emotional intelligence (EI) is perceived by professionals in Chilean construction projects. A review, coding, and categorization were carried out within each transcribed interview, which allowed the elaboration of coding dictionaries and corresponding frequency tables to identify emerging topics. Our main results indicate that interviewees perceived EI as a tool to help them face the problems in Chilean construction projects. According to the interviewees, the benefits of implementing EI training are mainly the socio-emotional development and the transfer of critical skills to confront the challenges related to workers’ interactions. The main barriers are related to the work culture, lack of awareness of EI among construction workers, economic interests, and gender factors. The literature points to limited studies on understanding emotional intelligence in the construction sector, particularly in South America. This study contributes to responding to the need to explore and provide knowledge on emotional intelligence in the construction sector in the context of a South American country. This study contributes to exploring and understanding how EI is understood among workers in Chilean construction projects. In practicality, construction managers may use our findings to design training programs that leverage EI to improve the management of construction projects.

1. Introduction

The construction industry faces challenges such as low productivity, limited adoption of new technologies, industry sustainability, and workforce management [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Researchers have proposed multiple efforts and strategies to face such challenges [7,8,9]. As people play a fundamental role in the construction industry’s success (e.g., workers and managers), strategies to improve the construction industry must account for people and seek to understand the role of people involved in construction projects [10,11]. Indeed, factors such as knowledge, training, and interest determine the level of sensitivity with which construction professionals make decisions that affect the sustainability of a project [12]. In this context, multiple authors have discussed that people’s capabilities and soft skills can influence the success (or failure) of construction projects [13,14]. For instance, some studies have related capabilities and leadership styles to the results of projects’ performances [15,16,17,18]. Thus, it emphasizes the critical role of people in the success of construction projects.
In recent years, one topic that has gained interest among researchers to understand the role of people in construction projects is emotional intelligence (e.g., Kukah et al. [19]). Emotional intelligence (EI) corresponds to the ability of people to recognize and manage their feelings and emotions and those of others, to discriminate between them, and to use this information to guide their thoughts and actions [20,21]. Studies that have related workers’ EI and the construction sector are primarily optimistic about its benefits. On the one hand, it is mentioned that EI is an essential skill that can positively influence the development of construction projects and even indicate workers’ ability to succeed in their performance [22]. Conversely, some researchers claim that implementing EI in the construction sector might be challenging [23]. In this sense, the male-dominated construction industry limits emotional expression, which is inappropriate in this work environment. With a work identity of this type, the reception of management tools based on EI is diminished. Although a change in times and the appearance of emotions in construction projects is recognized, a resistance to legitimizing emotional responses is identified. This context recognizes the importance of the need to promote appropriate EI training by other means, which could be poorly attended to by the industry itself. Overall, applying EI in the construction sector may contribute to managing the construction workforce of projects. As such, EI provides an alternative to understanding construction workers and identifying strategies to improve how workers are managed through construction projects. After a review of the literature by [19], the topmost critical competencies in EI for construction professionals include strong assertiveness with firmness in decision making, strong leadership abilities, coherent team-building traits, firm conflict resolution, and high self-control amid provocation.
Of note, efforts have been made by researchers in multiple countries to understand the influence of EI in construction projects focusing on the productivity of workers, safety, and leadership styles used by management positions (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, Australia); however, most of these studies have been focused on developed nations, leaving behind our understanding of EI in construction projects in developing nations [19]. Emotional intelligence has different effects on management outcomes in different cultural contexts. Some factors, such as collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation, positively influence the dimensions of emotional intelligence [24]. Given the different realities faced by developed and developing countries, construction projects performed in developed and developing countries are expected to face different realities. These different realities create a gap in studying the role of EI in construction projects in the context of developing nations.
Consequently, this study aims to contribute by better understanding the perception of EI in Chilean construction projects. This understanding will allow us to analyze and compare whether workers’ benefits and implementation barriers are comparable to those identified by the scientific literature. Ultimately, we propose recommendations to expand the limited knowledge and understanding of EI among workers of construction projects in the context of a developing nation.

2. Literature Review

2.1. The Concept of EI

According to Mejía [25], EI is a combination of the concepts of emotion and intelligence. Its origin begins to develop from the concept of “Social Intelligence” treated by Thorndike [26] and the work of “Multiple Intelligence” from Gardner [27], who discusses that there is not only a single type of intelligence but instead identifies intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence. These concepts are the basis for the development of the EI concept.
Of note, due to the complexity of the concept of EI, there is no single definition of EI since the concept has been studied from different perspectives. For this study, the concept of EI will be taken from the integration of the three most recurrent definitions in the literature [20,21,28]. Thus, we will understand EI as the ability of people to be aware of and recognize their own emotions and those of others. Additionally, it is essential to manage the emotions that occur within any context, which are generated as a reaction to an internal or external stimulus.

2.2. EI in the Construction Sector

The origin of studying EI in this sector is mentioned by Lawani and Moore [29], who explained that its relevance in the sector has been discovered recently. EI has been understood as an alternative to deal with problems in workers’ leaderships skills, and it can improve the performance of construction projects. Thus, it is necessary to investigate how EI may influence construction workers and their performance in construction projects [16]. Studies that have analyzed EI in the construction industry have reached different conclusions regarding its influence on workers and projects. Some researchers have discussed that its implementation, mainly in project managers, can effectively influence project success [19]. Conversely, other researchers have discussed the challenges of applying EI in construction projects [22,23].
The literature exploring the benefits of EI in construction has focused on the developing critical competencies, organizational efficacy, leadership, and evaluation of workers. Implementing EI in the construction industry develops and improves crucial competencies for good project performance among professionals [19]. The main critical competencies studied in the literature due to their relationship with EI are assertiveness in decision making, leadership, team building, conflict management, self-management of priorities, communications, and interpersonal skills [19,30,31,32,33,34]. When it comes to organizational efficacy, as organizations are founded by groups whose goals are shared, the identity that adapts such organizations is represented and reflects the identity of each person who is part of it, thus emphasizing the importance of EI for construction organizations [29,35]. Similarly, researchers have explored the relationship between leadership and EI in construction [32,33,34]. For instance, Sunindijo and Zou [33] indicated that EI plays a fundamental role in improving leadership in managing safety in construction projects to provide safer environments for workers.
Along the same lines, Potter et al. [32] found a positive relation between EI and the likelihood that managers adopt more advanced and transformative management strategies to motivate construction workers. EI has been analyzed to decide construction workers’ hiring and promotion processes. Sunindijo and Zou [33] discussed that construction companies might evaluate EI among workers to be promoted to management positions as EI improves performance at the individual level of workers, influencing the overall performance of construction projects and construction companies [33,36]. In other words, EI is used as a tool to help select workers to be promoted to management positions or to evaluate the performance of construction workers.
Researchers focused on some of the challenges of using EI in construction projects, claiming that there is resistance to using the term emotion and developing emotional skills in the construction industry. In so doing, arguing that in a male-dominated industry, it is essential how project managers collectively construct their identity in this environment [23]. As such, new strategies to improve how construction projects are managed must account for the current ways and means in the construction industry.
Although multiple researchers have claimed that few studies exist about EI in the construction sector [19,29], some progress has been made in recent years. Of note, most studies about EI in construction have focused on developed nations [19], leaving behind the role of EI in the context of developing nations, specifically in the African and South American regions.

2.3. EI Fields of Study in Construction

Table 1 presents an overview of research fields on emotional intelligence in the construction industry, highlighting key fields such as team performance, leadership, safety, project success, and conflict management [37,38,39,40]. Notably, these studies have been approached from two angles: the first analyzes workers’ emotional intelligence in construction operations [30,41,42], and the second examines the emotional competencies of project managers. In the performance domain, the literature focuses on how the emotional intelligence of workers and managers affects construction processes, including developing country contexts [38,43]. Regarding leadership, the influence of managers’ emotional intelligence has been related to the effectiveness of their leadership styles in construction projects [17,44,45,46]. Regarding safety, researchers have explored the impacts of emotional intelligence on the protection of workers and their attitude toward safety regulations [33,41,42,47]. Other studies have explored how the emotional intelligence of construction managers contributes to project success and conflict management throughout the project life cycle [40,48], for instance, by including the role of stakeholders’ political skills [36]. Other lines of research include how construction workers deal with stress [41,49], motivation [42,50], and job burnout [42,51]. However, there is a gap in studies that delve into stakeholders’ perceptions regarding emotional intelligence. Therefore, this paper seeks to explore perceptions toward EI in Chilean construction projects through a qualitative approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of emotional intelligence on the development of construction projects.

3. Materials and Methods

This study analyzes experts’ perceptions of EI in Chilean construction projects. Given the limited literature about EI in construction projects in the context of developing nations, specifically in Chile, this study is exploratory, and it uses a qualitative content analysis of interviews with construction experts in Chile. This study is also inductive, which means it attempts to draw general conclusions from the results. The focus is not on proving a hypothesis but rather on providing valuable information and improving our understanding in a context with limited literature. Furthermore, it is important to note that this exploratory study, it does not claim to be representative of the Chilean construction sector; instead, it seeks to provide a better understanding.
The authors of this study state that the findings of a study following this approach may enhance our limited understanding of EI in construction projects in Chile. This contribution may facilitate the development of future research on this topic by providing a baseline for future studies developed in Chile and the South American region.

3.1. Data Collection

Data for this study were collected through 11 semi-structured interviews with construction professionals in Chile. Convenience and snowball sampling techniques were used to reach interviewees. Convenience sampling was used to target construction professionals with experience in construction projects in Chile to leverage how they perceived EI in construction projects. Snowball sampling was used to expand the sample by identifying new potential interviews by recommendation of the interviewees based on their professional networks. This non-probabilistic technique is often used for qualitative research to reach the targeted profile of interviewees [61].
According to Hernández et al. [61], in qualitative research, there is no emphasis on sample size under a probabilistic perspective, but, rather, on the quality of the information collected that allows for meeting the study’s objectives. In our case, the quality of the information was ensured by interviewing construction professionals with expertise in construction projects. Similarly, the literature on construction engineering and management has used qualitative research supported by the analysis of interviews, showing a wide range of interviews used as a sample size. For instance, Hacker et al. [62] used ten interviews, Wang et al. [63] used five interviews, Quilia [64] used six interviews, and Carlander and Thollander [65] used eighteen interviews. Therefore, our study fits within the range of interviews used as a sample size to apply a qualitative analysis to experts’ opinions.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted online and in Spanish. Interviews were recorded with the previous approval of the interviewees. Interviews had an approximate duration of 30 min on average. Interviews were collected between August and December of 2022. Interviewees had an average experience of 12.6 years, thus emphasizing that the information collected in this study came from highly experienced workers who provided valuable responses to be qualitatively analyzed. The characteristics of interviewees are shown in Table 2.
Questions were prepared to explore how construction professionals perceived the concept of emotional intelligence in construction projects in Chile. Questions were open-ended to lead to a discussion regarding the interviewees’ experience and opinions on the topic. The following are examples of questions used during the interviews:
  • What is your perception about the role of emotional intelligence in Chilean construction projects?
  • What benefits and barriers are recognized about emotional intelligence to be implemented in Chilean construction projects?
  • How might the concept of emotional intelligence be implemented in Chilean construction projects?

3.2. Qualitative Content Analysis

The collected data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis (QCA) technique. The purpose of this technique is to analyze and identify emerging topics in the responses from the experts to the interviews and then to conceptually organize the information to facilitate understanding it [66].
All interviews were transcribed into a database and then reviewed and coded. The review process involves reading the interviews to identify the main ideas discussed by interviewees. The coding process involves the identification of excerpts, which are then classified into categories and subcategories [67]. In our case, excerpts are identified at the sentence level. In this study, we identified two categories regarding the perception of the concept of EI in Chilean construction and three categories concerning how to implement EI in Chilean construction.
The coding of excerpts followed an inductive approach, and, as such, categories and subcategories emerged from the data in the interviews [68]. Identifying the corresponding subcategories follows an iterative approach completed when a coding dictionary is developed, in which each category and subcategory is defined to facilitate their understanding (see Tables 3–7). As a result of the coding process, we then count the number of excerpts referring to each category and subcategory defined in the coding dictionaries and the number of interviewees referring to each category and subcategory (see Tables 3–7). The QDA Miner Lite software v.2.0 was used to quantify the excerpts for each category and subcategory.

4. Results and Discussion

Table 3, Table 4, Table 5, Table 6 and Table 7 show the coding dictionaries with the categories and subcategories identified in our study and their corresponding coding frequencies. Our results show that multiple benefits and barriers to EI in construction are perceived by interviewees in construction projects (see Table 3 and Table 4). Similarly, interviewees identified different aspects of how EI might be implemented in construction projects: the modality of the implementation, various considerations, and the stakeholders involved (see Table 4, Table 5, Table 6 and Table 7). Results referring to each table are discussed in detail in the sections below.

4.1. Benefits

The top three benefits were socio-emotional development, company productivity and profitability, and work environment (see B1, B2, and B3 in Table 3). It makes sense that socio-emotional development is the predominant response given that EI is about acquiring skills that allow managing feelings and emotions, some of the most common being empathy, communication, conflict resolution, teamwork, and leadership. This result is aligned with those of the existing studies in the literature (e.g., Saini et al. [35]; Sunindijo and Maghrebi [36]; Sunindijo and Zou [33]; Walter et al. [34]), so there is a perception in the Chilean construction sector that skills establishing good interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships are relevant for construction projects. Regarding “productivity and profitability at the company level,” the interviewees mentioned that being emotionally intelligent and acquiring related skills generates better performance, reducing delays and cost overruns (see B3 in Table 3). Similarly, a perceived benefit of EI in construction projects is an improved work environment (see B1 in Table 3). This result may be explained as the environment in which construction workers are often under high pressure and stress to perform projects on time and within the set budget. Stress among workers is a common perception in the construction environment, so incorporating EI in managing stress among workers can be a way to improve.
Of note, reducing occupational accidents and increasing workers’ safety are other perceived benefits of EI (see Table 3). These results are consistent with the study of Alsulami et al. [41], which discussed that EI plays an essential role in improving workers’ safety behaviors and reducing their work stress. Suppose that construction workers have more developed socio-emotional skills. In such case, this will help to manage emotions in the construction environment, which allows construction workers to focus on the activities they have to perform and, as such, minimize distractions that could generate accidents. Similarly, socio-emotional skills driven by EI may help to recognize activities that could affect the safety of the work team and one’s integrity. These results align with Sunindijo and Zou [33], who stated that possessing the skills that come with EI strengthens the safety in construction projects, thus ensuring a safe environment for workers in construction projects (see B5 in Table 3).
Table 3. Coding dictionary about perceived benefits of EI in construction with their frequencies.
Table 3. Coding dictionary about perceived benefits of EI in construction with their frequencies.
IdCodeDescriptionCodes FrequencyCases Frequency
n%n%
B1Work environmentImprovements relating to all those skills that influence the efforts to achieve goals, healthy social relationships, and decision making.1723%873%
B2Socio-emotional developmentPerception of a pleasant and convivial work environment.2027%1091%
B3Productivity and profitability at the company levelImproving the performance or personal performance of workers.1318%982%
B4Personal performanceImprovements in business aspects such as productivity and profitability.45%436%
B5Reduction of accidents at workDecrease the rate of workplace accidents and improve safety, especially in the workforce.1318%764%
B6Decrease turnoverMaintain a well-formed team with no workers’ turnover.45%436%
B7Ensure successFacilitates the successful accomplishment of goals.23%218%
Total 7328%11100%

4.2. Barriers

Barriers are understood as factors that prevent or hinder the implementation, knowledge, and consideration of EI to contribute to developing construction projects. The main barriers found in our results were related to the economic interests of decision makers, the lack of awareness about EI, and the work culture established in the industry (see Table 4).
Interestingly, all the interviewees mentioned the cultural factor as a barrier, which emphasizes the relevance of the current context in Chilean construction to introduce the concept of EI in construction projects. As discussed by interviewees, the existing work culture in Chilean construction projects reinforces traditional behaviors and limited willingness to change by its participants. In most cases, changes in how a construction project is developed are seen as an unnecessary effort that deviates the efforts of its participants from the objective of being under budget and on time.
More specifically, in the context of implementing EI in construction projects, the construction work culture may lead to workers showing limited interest in issues related to managing their emotions because they believe that it does not contribute to their project’s objectives, even though they are aware that emotions influence their work activities. Furthermore, according to DESUC [69], even though Chilean construction workers are aware that the industry has inconveniences that affect their quality of life, such as wear and tear as well as the difficult working conditions in which they perform their duties, they are generally satisfied within the industry.
Another barrier is the need for more awareness of the term EI among construction workers. It is recognized as a term that is not talked much about in the construction sector, so issues pertaining to this term occur due to it being a topic that is considered unknown and misunderstood, which also makes sense with the limited literature of EI within the construction industry, and, as such, limited evidence exists about the importance and benefits that can bring its implementation (see Ba3 in Table 4).
Also, it was mentioned that making room for EI in construction projects involves an investment of time that has repercussions on productivity, expenses, and project profits. Furthermore, according to the interviewees, there is not “enough” evidence that its implementation brings economic benefits to construction projects, so it is not perceived as a relevant tool. Consequently, it is not easy or not a priority for construction managers to generate a monetary investment in applying EI in construction projects (see Ba1 in Table 4). Allocating time to EI in an industry where delays over the planned schedule are recurrent makes it challenging to apply it since no instances are identified where time can be invested in EI training. Also, as discussed by multiple interviewees, the investment of time in any activity that is not progressing according to schedule is perceived as an additional cost (see Ba2 in Table 4).
Table 4. Coding dictionary about perceived barriers of EI in construction with their frequencies.
Table 4. Coding dictionary about perceived barriers of EI in construction with their frequencies.
IdCodeDescriptionCodes FrequencyCases Frequency
n%n%
Ba1Costs and economic interestThe economic interest and cost may represent implementing any methodology in the AEC industry.1211%873%
Ba2Lack of timeThere is no time to implement these approaches in the construction industry.66%545%
Ba3Lack of awarenessNo knowledge about the implementation of the term, nor the benefits and modes of use in the industry.2625%1091%
Ba4Deficiency in the training
process		Insufficient training of professionals on emotional intelligence in their schools.44%327%
Ba5Generational factorsSome older social generations have difficulty adopting and engaging in these approaches compared to younger generations.66%436%
Ba6Gender factorsGreater or lesser difficulties for each gender in adopting or being interested in this approach.1110%873%
Ba7Work cultureDifficult for workers to adopt these approaches because of the traditions and behaviors embedded in the construction industry.3432%11100%
Ba8Lack of educationLow levels of education on EI make it challenging to understand.77%655%
Total 10640%11100%

4.3. Modalities

This section analyzes the interviewees’ responses regarding how EI can be implemented in Chilean construction projects. The two most frequently mentioned were dynamic group activities as well as instructing and raising awareness of EI (see M1 and M2 in Table 5). The dynamics are perceived as opportunities to foster bonds at work and to acquire new knowledge about EI (see M1 and M2 in Table 5). Concerning instructing and raising awareness about EI, the interviewees referred to making EI known, how to apply it, and the benefits that it can bring to construction projects, generating instances where workers in the construction sector are educated about it. The interviewees mentioned that the modalities to carry out these activities could be through talks or training. It was also recognized in the interviews that it can be a concept that is challenging to learn compared to other technical skills, yet it is important to make construction workers aware of it.
Recreational and individual activities were also mentioned but less frequently (see Table 5). Recreational activities are understood as those activities that are generally organized by companies that seek to achieve a better work environment and that contribute to the psychological and physical wellbeing of construction workers. Although these results are not found in other studies in the literature, we suspect that these results may capture the specific Chilean context. This study is one of the first studies about EI in the South American region, so this may explain the outlined results. Also, the existing literature has paid little attention to how EI can be implemented in construction projects. Furthermore, this study is exploratory. As such, we sought to understand the Chilean context, which may have similarities and differences with existing studies.
Interviews or individual activities emerge as an alternative for those cases where workers do not want to be part of activities where intimate aspects are shared or where there is no comfort in participating in group circumstances. This modality was only mentioned by a few interviewees, thus being an option complementary to those group activities mentioned above (see M3 in Table 5).
Table 5. Coding dictionary about how EI might be implemented in construction with their frequencies—modalities.
Table 5. Coding dictionary about how EI might be implemented in construction with their frequencies—modalities.
IdCodeDescriptionCodes FrequencyCases Frequency
n%n%
M1Instructing and raising awareness about EIInstruct and raise awareness on EI. Instruct on the technical aspects, benefits, importance, and forms of application of EI.1342%764%
M2Dynamic group activitiesJoint activities that promote communication, integration, development, and knowledge of socio-emotional skills and involve the opinion and perception of workers based on their work and personal experiences.1342%982%
M3Individual activitiesIndividual activities to connect with people who do not like to talk openly about their emotions.26%19%
M4Recreational activitiesActivities that go out of the workers’ work routine seek to improve the work environment and form closer ties between the different people involved in the work.310%327%
Total 7328%11100%

4.4. Considerations

This section covers the considerations mentioned in the interviews, which seek to facilitate the implementation of EI in Chilean construction projects. These considerations were recognized by 82% of the interviewees, being one of the most mentioned spatial and temporal considerations regarding where to apply EI training activities. This finding can be explained as the time and space constraints that are always in the minds of construction managers and workers during construction projects, so it is expected that they take these aspects into account when implementing something new in construction projects.
Of note, the mandatory nature of participating in the activities to be performed in construction projects stands out. A discrepancy is recognized in the opinion of the interviewees, identifying opinions in favor and against being mandatory. This discrepancy may reflect the limited awareness of the benefits of EI for construction workers and projects. On the one hand, as a positive aspect, it is mentioned that making EI training-related activities mandatory allows everyone to have some knowledge and awareness of the subject. On the other hand, this may generate an undesirable adverse reaction among workers, bringing a closed stance on the subject (see C5 in Table 6).
DESUC [69] mentions workers’ needs for more interest in participating in training and certifications for reasons of limited time and physical exhaustion. When people have had complementary training, it has been because the company paid for it due to the organization’s needs. Thus, their obligatory nature can be an alternative when the company perceives that there is a possibility of gaining some benefit from them.
In 44% of the interviews, the necessity of including factors that facilitate the understanding of EI was identified, motivating workers to participate in these opportunities. Interviewees mentioned issues related to creating spaces where workers can talk about problems found during construction projects, which facilitates EI’s introduction through different activities. Also, it was mentioned that instructors should include less technical language to make the topic easier to understand for construction workers (see C2 and C3 in Table 6).
Another point of disagreement was the focus of the application and where to begin to carry out EI-related activities. Some interviewees mentioned that activities should begin in those working groups in the field and then go to management groups. It is thought that in this way, it is possible to convince senior management that there are no difficulties in teaching EI within the industry (see C1 in Table 6). On the other hand, other interviewees mentioned that it is necessary to start with those positions with greater responsibility within the company and, from there, to replicate the tools and skills related to EI in the rest of the workers. It is perceived that starting with the top management is essential since the decision to incorporate EI within the company depends on them. Regardless of which group should begin to carry out these activities, the importance of all people having access to these instances is recognized so that everyone can broaden their knowledge of EI in construction projects.
Table 6. Coding dictionary about how EI might be implemented in construction with their frequencies—considerations.
Table 6. Coding dictionary about how EI might be implemented in construction with their frequencies—considerations.
IdCodeDescriptionCodes FrequencyCases Frequency
n%n%
C1Application focusConsiderations concerning the groups, positions, or ranks where the ideal EI modalities should be implemented.721%444%
C2Facilitate and motivate learningUse measures that facilitate learning the term, such as using less technical language when teaching EI and not using technological tools.618%444%
C3Spatial-temporalConsider that the implementation of EI should be carried out during working hours and within the company.1030%667%
C4Creation of a positionCreation of a fixed position within the company in charge of instructing and teaching about the emotional environment of workers.26%222%
C5MandatoryConsider the mandatory implementation of activities related to EI.824%556%
Total 3313%982%

4.5. Stakeholders

This section shows the results related to all the stakeholders involved in construction projects that should be play a central role in introducing EI within Chilean construction projects.
The interviewees recognize the importance of EI being taught by professionals within the construction companies or experts external to the company (see Table 7). Professionals such as psychologists are cited for their ability to inform, guide, and motivate workers on the subject. On the other hand, 78% of interviewees perceived that construction professionals cannot impart information regarding EI (see S3 in Table 7). Thirty-three percent of the sample recognizes each person or worker as necessary for implementing the topic. Regardless of their position, workers’ willingness to use EI makes it an essential issue in the construction sector (see S1 in Table 7).
Additionally, interviewees mentioned mutual societies and associations since they constantly collaborate on health, quality of life, and accident prevention issues for workers. Associations such as the Chilean Chamber of Construction (CChC) and the Chilean Safety Association (AChS) were mentioned as potential collaborators in EI training within the industry to promote EI among workers (see S2 in Table 7). Ultimately, only 11% of interviewees discussed institutions in charge of drafting laws. It is mentioned that EI is a critical issue to address in the Chilean construction industry, so the way to make its implementation effective should be through a law that requires construction workers to have received training (see S4 in Table 7).
Table 7. Coding dictionary about how EI might be implemented in construction with their frequencies—stakeholders.
Table 7. Coding dictionary about how EI might be implemented in construction with their frequencies—stakeholders.
IdCodeDescriptionCodes FrequencyCases Frequency
n%n%
S1IndividualConsidering oneself as an individual and agent of change.524%333%
S2MutualityInvolve agents with experience implementing measures in the construction industry, such as CChC and AChS.419%333%
S3EI expertsInvolve industry experts who have knowledge and training in EI.1152%778%
S4Legislative powerEngage the law-making branches of government to implement EI at the regulatory level within the industry.15%111%
Total 218%982%

5. Conclusions

This exploratory and qualitative study is based on data collected through semi-structured interviews with Chilean construction professionals. The collected data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis (QCA) technique. The main findings of this study are related to identifying perceived benefits and barriers to incorporating EI in the construction industry, as well as capturing possible modalities, considerations, and stakeholders involved while implementing EI in construction projects and companies.
Our results suggest that EI is perceived as a tool that can help face existing challenges in Chilean construction projects. The benefits of implementing EI training for construction workers mainly comprise socio-emotional development and the transfer of critical skills to confront the challenges related to workers’ interactions during construction projects. These skills are fundamental for creating a more pleasant working environment. As such, this can lead to better workers’ performance, a decrease in work-related accidents, and a decrease in workers’ turnover, ultimately influencing the productivity and profitability of construction companies.
Regarding the barriers and difficulties in implementing EI in the industry, it was found that these are mainly related to the existing working culture in construction projects, the lack of awareness of the concept of EI among workers, and economic interests. Regarding work culture, on-site construction workers may be reluctant to acquire new skills because they are used to carrying out certain tasks in specific ways and do not see the need to change they approach them. The need for more awareness of the term EI, which is described as highly technical, is very high within the industry. In addition, senior managers need more incentives to implement the concept of EI among their workers as it is wrongfully understood that EI may not relate to the economic performance of construction projects and companies.
Regarding our results on how to implement EI in Chilean construction projects, it is recommended to carry out group activities and dynamics to understand what EI is and how to implement it in the workplace. The people in charge of teaching EI should consist of trained professionals familiar with the subject and who are able to manage and motivate groups of construction workers. In addition, it is recommended that in the development of these activities, technical language and theory should be minimized to facilitate the understanding of the EI concept. Conversely, we suggest that activities should be carried out face-to-face, in the workplace, and during working hours. The mandatory nature is an alternative to managing workers’ limited interest in participating in these activities; however, we recommend that people in charge look for ways to emphasize the importance of all workers’ participation. The option of opting for legal or regulatory measures that oblige the national industry to implement EI is an option that, although it has yet to have a significant representation, can be evaluated in the future as a measure to be studied. Finally, we recommend involving industry associations that carry out activities continuously in the industry, which can begin to disseminate the term and its benefits among workers.

5.1. Contributions

This study contributes to the existing literature by leveraging construction professionals’ experience through semi-structured interviews to better understand existing perceptions toward the concept of EI in Chilean construction projects in the context of a developing nation. This study was exploratory, so the perceptions toward EI in Chilean construction projects were conceptualized as benefits, barriers, and method on how to implement EI. Namely, we identified that the main perceived benefits include an improved workplace for construction workers and a safer construction environment by reducing accidents. The main barrier to EI in construction projects in Chile was identified as the existing working culture, which emphasizes construction workers’ and managers’ limited willingness to change. Concerning the method of implementing EI in construction projects, our main contribution is that, in general, construction workers and managers must be made aware of the benefits of improving EI among workers in the construction sector.
In practicality, our study identifies benefits that can be leveraged when implementing EI in Chilean construction projects, barriers that need to be overcome to develop EI training programs, and some guidelines about implementing EI in Chilean construction projects. These findings may facilitate the implementation of EI in construction and increase the awareness of EI in construction projects in a developing nation in the Latin American region.

5.2. Limitations and Future Research

Two limitations are acknowledged in this study. First, our study was developed in one specific country located in South America, and, as such, our findings are limited to the reality of this specific country. Nonetheless, it is a context in which limited information exists in the literature. Second, the sample size of interviews may seem limited; however, our sample size is within the range of interviews used by comparable studies in the existing literature.
Our recommendation for future studies is to develop a quantitative study to verify whether the findings of this exploratory study can be representative of the Chilean construction sector. Moreover, expanding our exploratory approach to other nations in the South American region might be beneficial for comparison purposes within this region.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S. and L.S.-V.; methodology, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S., L.S.-V. and B.N.; software, P.P., F.A. and L.A.S.; validation, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S. and L.S.-V.; formal analysis, P.P., F.A. and L.A.S.; investigation, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S., L.S.-V. and B.N.; resources, P.P., F.A., L.A.S. and L.S.-V.; data curation, P.P., F.A., L.A.S. and B.N.; writing—original draft preparation, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S. and L.S.-V.; writing—review and editing, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S., L.S.-V. and B.N.; visualization, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S., L.S.-V. and B.N.; supervision, P.P., F.A., L.A.S., Z.G., O.S. and L.S.-V.; project administration, P.P., F.A. and L.A.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Table 1. Studies of EI in the construction industry.
Table 1. Studies of EI in the construction industry.
ReferenceFields of Study of EI in the Construction Industry
StressSafetyMotivationJob BurnoutTeam PerformanceTeam CohesionPersonal SelectionLeadershipProject SuccessConflict Management
Alsulami et al. [41]✓✓
Sai Praneeth and Sateesh Babu [47] ✓
Acheampong et al. [38] ✓
Ghoddousi and Zamani [42] ✓✓✓
Hanafi et al. [52] ✓
Zhang et al. [51] ✓
Zhang and Hao [53] ✓
Zhang and Hao [54] ✓
Huang et al. [43] ✓
Lawani et al. [48] ✓
Montenegro et al. [22] ✓
Sunindijo and Mojtaba [36] ✓
Rezvani [55] ✓
Hanafi and Nawi [56] ✓
Indhu and Abijth [49]✓
Essop and Hoque [50] ✓
Zhang et al. [37] ✓
Potter et al. [32] ✓
Pryke et al. [44] ✓
Mischung et al. [57] ✓
Sunindijo and Hadikusumo [40] ✓
Zhang and Fan [58] ✓
Sunindijo and Zou [33] ✓ ✓
Lindebaum and Jordan [59] ✓
Alawneh and Sweis [39] ✓
Azad [60] ✓
Sunindijo et al. [46] ✓
Butler and Chinowsky [45] ✓
Total2422711733
Table 2. Interviewees’ characteristics.
Table 2. Interviewees’ characteristics.
IdProfessionPositionYears of Experience
E1Construction EngineerProject manager4
E2ArchitectConsultant5
E3Construction EngineerProject manager6
E4Construction EngineerConsultant3
E5ArchitectOperations manager28
E6Construction EngineerCrew coordinator20
E7Construction EngineerCrew coordinator15
E8Construction EngineerCrew coordinator6
E9Construction EngineerElectric contractor40
E11Construction EngineerField engineer2
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Páez, P.; Araya, F.; Salazar, L.A.; Giménez, Z.; Sánchez, O.; Sierra-Varela, L.; Neculman, B. Exploring Perceptions toward Emotional Intelligence in Chilean Construction Using a Qualitative Approach. Buildings 2024, 14, 905. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040905

AMA Style

Páez P, Araya F, Salazar LA, Giménez Z, Sánchez O, Sierra-Varela L, Neculman B. Exploring Perceptions toward Emotional Intelligence in Chilean Construction Using a Qualitative Approach. Buildings. 2024; 14(4):905. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040905

Chicago/Turabian Style

Páez, Pedro, Felipe Araya, Luis Arturo Salazar, Zulay Giménez, Omar Sánchez, Leonardo Sierra-Varela, and Briguitte Neculman. 2024. "Exploring Perceptions toward Emotional Intelligence in Chilean Construction Using a Qualitative Approach" Buildings 14, no. 4: 905. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040905

APA Style

Páez, P., Araya, F., Salazar, L. A., Giménez, Z., Sánchez, O., Sierra-Varela, L., & Neculman, B. (2024). Exploring Perceptions toward Emotional Intelligence in Chilean Construction Using a Qualitative Approach. Buildings, 14(4), 905. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040905

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