CS Jonker, HH Viljoen, LT De Beer
Abstract
Employees frequently encounter job stress, which influences decision-making by affecting both risk propensity and emotional intelligence (EI). Considering EI is important for assisting employees in managing stress. This study investigated the relationships between job stress, risk propensity, and EI, and examined whether EI relates to risk propensity through job stress. Data were collected from employees in key functions of the South African mining industry using self-report questionnaires and a gamification instrument, applying a cross-sectional design with purposive sampling. Findings revealed that job stress was positively related to erratic risk aversion and negatively to erratic risk taking. Self-focused emotion regulation was negatively associated with job stress and positively with consistent risk taking, while other-focused emotion appraisal was positively associated with erratic risk taking. Only one indirect relationship emerged: self-focused emotion regulation influenced erratic risk taking via job stress. These insights highlight the role of risk propensity and EI in workplace decision-making, with implications for human error and safety. Managers should foster a safety culture and implement interventions that enhance EI to mitigate stress-related risks. The study contributes to literature by clarifying these interrelationships and offering practical guidance for hazardous work environments like mining