Abstract:
Student retention and success remains an issue of interest across the globe as it can impact upon experience and outcomes in higher education as well as life opportunities. Students have to cope with family pressure at the same time as having to face challenges of studying at university and possibly living away from home. While this article focuses upon the higher educational sector in England, student retention and success are identified as issues of concern across the globe. If change is to meet with student experience there needs to be active engagement in social learning that is integrated into the culture within higher education. This includes the valuing of people. It is a key to unlocking the door of workplace passion that, when shared, can spread throughout the organization. In the context of this article, the passionate workplace passion is associated with the term harmonious passion. If passion already exists, followers do not need to be pushed as it is an intrinsic factor that helps drive a person. Organizations, therefore, need to create and develop the passionate workplace that inspires purpose, engaging people, cognitively, emotionally and physically, in their work. This can include developing skills in emotional intelligence, an important factor in social and personal interactions. Findings suggest that developing skills in emotional intelligence, one instrument in the tool box of life, can help improve levels of student retention, active engagement, social interaction, achievement and satisfaction. Recommendations are made that include student training and development, associated with emotional intelligence, being embedded into each program. This could also extend to all members of staff to help themselves and to help support students, that in turn may help reduce level of student dropout.
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