Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Empirical Evidence from the Education Sector

Abstract

Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in shaping positive organizational behaviors among educators. This study aims to examine the influence of emotional intelligence as a predictor of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) within the education sector. The research was conducted in several public schools, involving 483 teachers as respondents. Emotional intelligence was positioned as an exogenous variable, while organizational citizenship behavior served as the endogenous variable. Data analysis was performed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The findings reveal that emotional intelligence has a significant and positive effect on teachers’ organizational citizenship behavior. Teachers with high emotional intelligence tend to exhibit greater empathy, self-regulation, and interpersonal sensitivity, which foster cooperative attitudes and voluntary contributions beyond formal job requirements. These results highlight the importance of developing emotional intelligence among educators to strengthen OCB and enhance overall school performance. This study provides practical implications for educational institutions in designing professional development programs that emphasize emotional awareness, social skills, and supportive workplace relationships.