Emotional Intelligence and Safety Outcomes in High-Rise Residential Construction Projects in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan: A Systematic Literature Review of the Last Eight Years

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a promising yet under-synthesised human-factor lever for reducing accidents in construction, particularly on high-rise projects where hazards and coordination demands are acute. This systematic literature review, registered with PROSPERO (CRD42025290001) and reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020, consolidates evidence on the EI–safety nexus and appraises its relevance to residential high-rise construction in Lahore and Karachi. Comprehensive searches of nine databases (Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, PsycINFO, SAGE, Emerald, Engineering Village and Google Scholar) for January 2010–April 2025 produced 1 684 records; 36 empirical studies met rigorous inclusion criteria. Quality was assessed with AMSTAR 2, ROBIS, MMAT 2018, ROBINS-I and RoB 2. Narrative synthesis, supported by random-effects meta-analyses where feasible, revealed that leadership EI shows a medium–large positive association with safety climate (pooled r = .47), while worker EI influences safe behaviour indirectly through situational awareness. High EI also buffered fatigue-related unsafe acts and moderated stress–accident relationships. Four intervention trials demonstrated 15–35 % reductions in near-miss or injury rates following EI training, including a Karachi study reporting a 31 % decline in incident severity. However, the magnitude of effects varied with cultural masculinity norms, regulatory stringency and project complexity. Findings advance multi-level safety theory by positioning EI as a personal and collective resource that interacts with institutional contexts. For Pakistan’s rapidly urbanising centres, integrating EI assessment and training into safety-management systems could yield substantial health, productivity and reputational gains. Such evidence underscores EI’s potential to complement existing technical and regulatory controls. Future research should employ longitudinal, gender-sensitive designs and objective safety metrics to establish causal pathways and cost–benefit profiles.