Emotional Intelligence: Why it’s Important and How to Build it

We all experience moments when emotions take the lead—an argument that lingers in your mind, a stressful meeting that leaves you tense, or a conversation that suddenly feels harder than expected. These reactions are part of being human. What really matters is how we understand and respond to them.  

That’s where emotional intelligence comes in. Emotional intelligence is something we practice in countless small ways each day — when having a conversation, a kind gesture, or a moment of self-restraint when emotions run high. It quietly shapes how we relate to others and how we care for ourselves.  

By practicing emotional intelligence in daily life — through mindfulness, patience, and compassion — we create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and at ease to be themselves.  

Discover how emotional intelligence helps you manage stress, communicate with empathy, and build stronger relationships at work, at home, and in everyday life by reading the attached Homewood Health article.  

Homewood Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) offers a wide range of confidential services to help you manage stress, improve mental health, and prevent burnout. These include:  

  • Counselling services to support you through stress, anxiety, or burnout.  
  • The Life Smart Coaching Program: Burnout and Stress Solutions.  
  • The online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program.  
  • A rich library of on-demand articles, webinars, and podcasts to deepen your understanding of mental health and burnout prevention.  
  • Pulse Check and Wellness History, a personalized tool for tracking your wellbeing.  

Full-time employees and Regular Part-Time (RPT) Support Staff and their immediate family have access to the EFAP services and support.  

Contact Homewood at 1-800-663-1142 or visit  Homewood Health's website to access their online resources.  

Have you registered yet? Please follow this Registration Video Tutorial to create an account and access Homewood’s website and online resources.  

Part-time/contract employees who need counselling support can contact  oe@humber.ca for assistance.    

For more information on well-being resources for employees, visit Humber’s online Healthy Community Hub.  

Questions? Contact us at oe@humber.ca.