Emotional Intelligence and Employees’ Commitment: Analyzing the Role of Brand Image and Corporate Social Responsibility Among Lebanese SMEs

The importance of emotional intelligence cannot be neglected when it comes to employees’ behavioral outcomes in the workplace. When organizations deploy Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives that improve their image, they can foster an atmosphere where employees develop loyalty and commitment towards their roles and organizations. This can be more vivid for the case of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) where modern and sustainable strategies are embedded in the strategy to improve the social, economic, and environmental domains of the society they serve to. The current research examines how emotionally intelligent employees can leverage brand image and Corporate Social Responsibility as dynamics that improve their commitment to their roles and their organizations. This leads to better service provision, ultimately improving the company’s reputation, performance, and competitive longevity. Using Smart PLS software and Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), a total of 184 SME employees were surveyed across forty-two firms operating in Lebanon. The findings suggest that SMEs can establish mechanisms which, under the lens of emotional intelligence, attachment, and sustainability-oriented theories, yield positive work outcomes among employees while facilitating a sustainable competitive edge and improved image both internally and externally.