Research has shown that people with higher level of EI, are high and sustained performers. People with higher EI, are better able to understand other people's emotions. Now the 'attrition' part. It has many meanings (friction, abrasion, gradual reduction in workforce without firing! ... ). In an organization where general level of EI is high, the attrition level will be low and vice versa (higher EI improves the overall work environment, less friction and less resistance to others). With respect to last meaning of attrition, there appears to be no direct relationship between EI and attrition (i.e gradual reduction in workforce due to retirement, resignation ...).

Industrial Organizations are binary systems of social and technological factors. These systems are in interactive work situations. Emotional resilience is essential to work in these situations. One is expected to work under pressure, should be adaptable and should possess interpersonal skills. Attrition depends on various reasons which may include : lack of involvement, not being able to cope up with the pressure, lack of recognition etc. Emotional Intelligence can certainly be related, as it would definitely help in controlling attrition level.

It is possible that the attrition effect that takes place is one in which an individual is in a highly toxic office environment that is loaded down with office politics. An individual with a high EI will suffer more in such an environment beacuse they are seeing just how badly people are being treated, something many other employees are not picking up on. For example, a new employee might have been hired to perform a specific job but because they fired their receptionist, they need the new hire to also cover those duties as well.

The new hire doesn't want to complain because they need the job but the employee with the high EI might start to suffer from knowing that they might be asked to perform work duties that are not part of their original job description and don't wan to be taken advantaged of. This type of stress is harder on individuals with high EI because they see all the underlying relationships that are taking place. So it's almost like walking into a mine field everyday knowing that you might be asked to change your job duties or pick up on someone elses because the company decided to "restructure" as they like to call it.

So yes, employees (individuals) with high EI can suffer from bad office politices and business managent practices. But if it's the case that they work in an environment that is well managed, they will flourish because they are able to build relationships faster with one another and with different departments.