Virtual handshakes: team emotional intelligence and digital competences in virtual settings

Team Emotional Intelligence (TEI) and digital competences (DC) are essential for effective collaboration in virtual settings. This study explores two key research questions: (1) whether TEI is equivalent across interaction settings, or it goes through an adaptation in virtual settings, referring to it as Digitalized Team Emotional Intelligence (DigTEI); and (2) whether differences in DigTEI are influenced by individuals’ levels of Communication and Collaboration Digital Competence (CCDC). With a sample of 152 participants, TEI was assessed across three interaction settings: TEI face-to-face; and DigTEI for two virtual settings (video call; in-writing). Results revealed significantly higher levels of TEI in face-to-face interactions compared to DigTEI, particularly in in-writing environments, aligning with social presence and media richness theories. Interestingly, no significant differences in DigTEI were observed between individuals with foundation and advanced CCDC levels. The study highlights the critical role of digitalized transversal skills, such as DigTEI, for effectively managing affective experiences in virtual team interactions. Practical implications suggest the need for targeted training programs that address both DC and DigTEI to equip individuals with the skills necessary for navigating socio-emotional challenges in virtual collaboration. Future research should further explore the relationship between CCDC and DigTEI, particularly in professional and cross-cultural contexts.