The benefits of promoting an empathetic workplace are too significant for HR professionals to ignore. Companies where leaders are perceived as empathetic see a reduction in employee turnover partnered with a rise in productivity. On top of a boost in creativity, innovation, and efficiency among employees, a 2021 survey found that the presence of mutual empathy can also lead to an increase in company revenue. At the other end of the spectrum, companies that neglect fostering empathy will find themselves dealing with the resulting challenges. A recent survey found that about half of employees left their jobs because they didn’t feel a sense of belonging, and 42% of employees said they resigned due to an inability to connect with their colleagues (a 5% increase from 2021). With these consequences in mind, HR professionals need to foster a workplace culture that will ultimately lead to company success rather than a never-ending recruiting process caused by low employee retention.
At first glance, some statistics show promise for the state of empathy in the office. A 2023 report determined that 67% of CEOs believe themselves to be more empathetic today than they were before the pandemic. However, the truth is revealed not only among leaders but their employees. To contrast CEOs reported perceptions of themselves, the same report found only 59% of employees actually think their CEOs are more empathetic. To further expose the actual state of empathy in the workplace, only 66% of employees believe they work in an empathetic workplace, which is a 12% drop from 2018. If workplace empathy can bring so much success to a company, then why is its presence in the office suffering? More importantly, is there a way to teach leadership to be more empathetic?
The short answer is yes, but it will require consistent work from leaders and dedication to the cause. HR professionals looking to build an empathetic work culture must make an effort to train management in identifying and responding to emotions within the company. While there are many ways to go about this successfully, there are two major components that are absolutely necessary for cultivating an empathetic workplace:
- Self-Awareness: When conducting empathy training, managers must first build a foundation of emotional intelligence within themselves. If a leader doesn’t understand their own emotions, they cannot be expected to begin to understand their employees’ emotions. Encourages managers to acknowledge when they are feeling any type of negative emotion and take a short break from work to determine the root cause. HR professionals can also provide managers with a toolkit for them to reference while they are still learning to address their emotions properly once they are identified. Once managers grow more comfortable recognizing and responding to their own feelings, they will become better equipped to guide employees through their own emotions.
- Active Listening: Managers who learn active listening skills foster trust with their employees and allow them to feel seen, heard, and respected. HR professionals can hold workshops for managers to practice having open conversations with employees. Management may naturally jump to offering advice when employees open up to them, and that comes with good intentions as they are looking to be supportive in their own way. However, when training managers on active listening, emphasize the importance of patience and allowing employees to lead the conversation. Instead of offering unsolicited advice, encourage managers to ask employees what they need to successfully move forward. Managers who practice these skills will see a positive effect on their relationship with their employees, including a noticeable rise in mutual respect.
Empathy training is something that can be covered in a singular session. It will take time and effort to learn and execute properly. However, if management is consistent, the company will soon start reaping the benefits of a loyal workforce that feels empowered by its dedicated and compassionate leaders.
