1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

The idea of increasing employee work performance occupied the minds of different classes of employers of labour including the government in Nigeria. Efforts are always made to improve working conditions of workers towards better work performance, since they are responsible for the effective utilization of other factors of production to reach pre-determined organizational goals. There is the general awareness that proper motivation of employee in work situation is necessary for improved performance as propagated by A. Ukpana (1986: p.12).It is observed that from when people enter the labour force or work force until they retire, the work they do constitutes an important part of their lives. The work therefore, should be made meaningful and satisfying at all times for them.Effective job performance for greater employee efficiency and satisfaction is a subject of constant concern to the society as a whole. The formal information for any required jobs, when compiled and communicated to an employee helps him/her to understand the composition or nature of his or her duties, responsibilities and standards of performance required on the job. These are achievable through a well-conducted orientation programs for maximum efficiency of the employed.Orientation itself is an act of making oneself familiar and adaptive to a new situation. It is a driving force that encourages an employee to put in his best in the activities of the organization in an acceptable manner to the environment he finds himself in.Providing orientation for an employee is a way of saving corporate assets by heading off mistakes, employee turnover, grievances, etc. Studies have shown that employees enter the organization with considerable desire to succeed. They want to be successful in their various fields and are more willing than not to behave in normal ways. Also, an employee’s first months with the organization have greater influence in his or her future than does any other period. During this period, the employee has the highest visibility and is searching for a behavioral pattern that will be the desired pay off.Having established the relevance and importance of a healthy committed workforce and its positive influence on job performance, it becomes important for organizations to find out what they can do to maintain and enhance the commitment of these employees as part of their internal marketing strategy. Management hypothesizes that if employees can be led to develop a commitment to the organization at the beginning of their careers, they will maximize their worth and be well on their way to success in the organization. An employee, who sees the organization, as the channel by which he will attain desired goals, will at least work hard to achieve his objectives. And one of the ways of encouraging a new employee to motivate him is to provide the opportunity for him to derive satisfaction from his job.Management and staff of Port Harcourt Refining Company achieve its organizational commitment and objectives through efficient job performance.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Like every other business enterprise with its own share of problems and challenges, which could be attributed to human and non human factors, proper harnessing of such challenges have been the major tasks of management ensuring that the company not only keep its head above the water but also maintains its leadership and relevant role in oil and Gas industry.The task of striking a balance between the knowledge and application is a task before the management od PHRC because without Emotional Intelligence (EI), a person can have the best training, an analytical mind and endless supply of ideas but will not make a great leader.This study is therefore aimed at discovering the relevance of emotional intelligence on job performance and satisfaction in order to help management and staffs of Port Harcourt Refining Company achive its organizational commitment and objectives through efficient job performance.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study is to determine the relevance of emotional intelligence on job performance with intent to ascertaining the satisfaction (if any) derived therein.The study will also help us determine:i. If employee performances are contingent upon the degree of the application of emotional intelligence by the employers.ii. The relationship between employee job performance and satisfaction and emotional intelligence.iii. Reasons for some staff poor work attitude and resultant decline in quality service.iv. Ways to induce employees for better job performance.Suggestions would be proffered on ways to improve upon these findings, which would lead to efficiency through a good human resource management, efficient work force devotion, etc.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

The study will provide answers to the following research questions:1. Is there any relationship between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction?2. What roles does emotional intelligence play in employee work performance?3. Does the application of emotional intelligence in the work place lead to Job satisfaction, which in turn brings about high employee morale and performance?4. The study will also examine the needs of employees with the need to satisfy them for greater performance

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H1: There is positive and significant relationship between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction.H2: There is positive and significant relationship between emotional intelligence and employee job performance.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This area of study is basically focused on the impact of emotional intelligence on job performance and satisfaction on Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited. More so the study is expected to outline the meaning of emotional intelligence and its role in ensuring quality job performance and satisfaction.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study is significant in many respects. First, the speculation dealing with problem of satisfaction or satisfier factors affecting workers are frequently found in the literature, but studies which deal or describe the impact or effect of emotional intelligence on job performance satisfaction are rare.Secondly, it will enable the management or employers of labour to know the importance of emotional intelligence on job performance; how it can cause the employee to be satisfied with he/she job; to let the management know what happens when an employee is satisfied or dissatisfied with his/her job. And thirdly, it will help us to know what can make a worker to put in his best, so that the company’s goals and objectives are met.The results that will be gotten from this study could assist the management PHRC Ltd. To formulate personnel policies that could help it in managing its human resources especially as it concerns is new employees. The result could also be useful to other organizations other than PHRC Ltd in its personnel policies formulation.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

It is pertinent to state the focus in this study does not include a general investigation of emotional intelligence and employee job performance and satisfaction. This will be too cumbersome to complete within a short time and resources of this study. As noted by OKWANDU (1986).“a researcher delimits a problem by fencing in and isolating it from all other problems of the field. No researcher can solve all the problems in a discipline by a single study” (1986).In view of the above, the study concentrated on the relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance and satisfaction derived from its application amongst the employees of Port Harcourt refining Company Limited.This undoubtedly has a limiting effect, as PHRC is an company, hence the methods of its application of the issue on ground may not be the same as in other organizations, which it is used to generalize. Another constituent was the short time given for the completion and submission of this project, which did not allow the researcher to go into exhaustive study.

1.9 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

For comprehension and clarity purposes, it is pertinent to define some basic languages/words as used in this work:Emotional intelligence: Understanding of feelings: personal attributes that enable people to succeed in life, including self-awareness, empathy, self-confidence, and self-control.Impact: a strong effect or impression, which is caused by something.Job performance: Manner of functioning: the manner in which something or somebody functions, operates, or behaves; working effectiveness: the way in which somebody does a job, judged by its effectiveness.Job satisfaction: a feeling of contentment/sense of fulfillment derived from one’s regular paid employment.Organization: a group of people with a special or common purpose working together to achieve some stated goals.Orientation: this is the condition employees make to a list of instructions that must be given as a guide in order to make one perform an operation accordingly.Productivity: ability to output or cause something to appear.Performance: Manner of functioning: the manner in which something or somebody functions, operates, or behaves the manner of carrying out an activity.Strata: to arrange something in class/group or division.