When I started studying empathy, nearly 20 years ago, its status in the workplace was controversial. Many people believed that empathic leadership — which draws on the ability to understand, care about, and vicariously experience the emotions of others — was too “soft” for the hard-charging, competitive world of business.
By now dozens of studies have demonstrated the opposite. Empathy is not a weakness but something of a workplace superpower. Employees are more satisfied in their jobs, more willing to take creative risks, and more likely to help their colleagues if they work in empathic organisations. They are far less likely to report severe burnout or to develop physical symptoms of stress and are more resilient in the face of adversity.
by Andrea Vrbanac There’s an intricate dance at play between empathy and accountability in business – one which HR is destined to act out every single day. One person who knows this well is Andrea Vrbanac, VP of people and culture at Axonify.
Within the fast-paced tech sector, one plagued by layoffs and redundancies, understanding empathy’s role in performance management is critical. In 2023, Telus, Lyft, BuzzFeed and Accenture – to name a few – all laid off employees – with the number of layoffs reaching well into the thousands across the globe.
What is empathy and why is it important for leaders? Empathy is the capacity to share and understand the feelings of another. To be empathetic means to be aware of, and sensitive to, the feelings of someone else by placing yourself in their shoes. Empathy can be difficult to learn because it requires several other soft skills such as good communication and listening ability, that many leaders are not trained in.
In some ways, empathy is a type of meditation. It requires you to tune out your thoughts and feelings about an experience or situation so that you can be fully present for someone else. When we interviewed Scilla Elworthy, a Three Times Nobel Peace Prize nominee, she noted how leaders who do not work on their inner emotions can unconsciously project their critical thoughts when talking to others.
Stress, burnout, and mental health concerns permeate workplaces today. In the post-pandemic era, many people are struggling to define what kind of job and setting — virtual, in person, or hybrid — makes the most sense for them. Though global workplace policies remain in flux, many bosses continue to be accommodating and are showing greater empathy for other team members’ needs.
At this crucial turning point, we need empathic leaders with innovative management styles to motivate teams and provide regular moments of connection and caring, as well as global leaders who can help create a more loving, unified, and cooperative world. Oprah Winfrey says, “Leadership is all about empathy. It’s all about the ability to connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”
When I started studying empathy, nearly 20 years ago, its status in the workplace was controversial. Many people believed that empathic leadership — which draws on the ability to understand, care about, and vicariously experience the emotions of others — was too “soft” for the hard-charging, competitive world of business.
By now dozens of studies have demonstrated the opposite. Empathy is not a weakness but something of a workplace superpower. Employees are more satisfied in their jobs, more willing to take creative risks, and more likely to help their colleagues if they work in empathic organisations. They are far less likely to report severe burnout or to develop physical symptoms of stress and are more resilient in the face of adversity.
To create an empathetic and understanding workplace culture, HR leaders must listen to employees and encourage them to bring their whole selves to work. Employee experience technology is key to uncovering new workplace wellbeing challenges and facilitating productive conversations.
“What are employees going to say when we empower them to tell us things?” is a question that keeps many HR leaders up at night – and for good reason. Organisations that understand the power of a positive employee experience know that employees who feel heard and valued create change; they fuel greater productivity, positive customer experiences and better business outcomes.
How do you know what the people you lead really care about? How do you help them to give their all to the enterprise? Jodi Halpern of the University of California, Berkeley, draws from her medical experience to explain how empathic curiosity can help in key areas of leadership.
The discussion highlighted the importance of how organisations and leaders must create a more empathetic and understanding environment at work place
Corporate sector has a huge reach and it can make a difference when it comes to providing an empathetic space to people, said Anjali Gopalan, Executive Director, The Naz Foundation, at the 4th edition of e4m PR and Corp Comm Women Achievers Summit.
Empathy—the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes—is one of the most important skills we can cultivate in future leaders. Yet recent findings have shown that 42% of Americans said empathy has outright declined over the past year, and of them, 81% were concerned.
When I think about my own life, the most empathetic people I’ve ever met are those who face their own challenges. Their ability to understand and relate to another person’s struggles is unmatched. My younger brother, Andy, for example, was born with Down syndrome. Growing up, I developed a deep understanding of both the obvious challenges he faced and the extraordinary gifts he brought to our family. Experiencing life through his perspective has taught me to never judge a book by its cover and to always dig deeper to understand an individual’s unique gifts and value. Andy cares for others unconditionally, gives energy through his warmth and affection and always shows a genuine interest in everyone he meets. I look for superpowers like Andy’s in everyone I meet.
Empathy plays a pivotal role in effective leadership by fostering understanding, connection, and trust among team members, resulting in improved collaboration and overall organizational success.
by DevinPartida
Empathy is the ability to relate to and understand other people — a superpower in the corporate world. Leaders who demonstrate empathy create a positive workplace for everyone to excel and produce outstanding results.
Only some individuals possess empathetic tendencies innately. Fortunately, empathy can also be a learned trait. Below, discover how compassionate leadership is a strength, learn about some of the most renowned companies with empathetic leaders and practice how to cultivate empathy for yourself.
In today's evolving business landscape, the fusion of efficiency and empathy is no longer an option, but a necessity. Genesys and AWS in association with YourStory, hosted a roundtable discussion where industry experts delved into the profound impact of this balance on Customer Experience (CX).
The discussion explored the convergence of efficiency and empathy within CX and how it is shaping a new world for businesses, customers, and society at large.
Panellists dived deep into the crucial role that personalisation plays in striking this balance, the power of feedback loops for continuous improvement, and the contributions of organisational leadership to successful CX initiatives. From answering questions like ‘What does empathy mean, the difficulties of balancing empathy and efficiency, and ways in which organisations can ensure customers' needs are seamlessly met, the discussion also touched upon more sensitive aspects like creating empathetic experiences and holding leadership accountable for an empathetic approach.
Use empathy to connect with your customers Cydni Rogers Tetro, CEO of Brandless—an expanding online retailer focusing on wellness—envisions a unique approach to retail. “We’re making people the platform for commerce and connection,” she says.
Brandless places significant emphasis on the customer experience to fuel its growth. When examining their catalog, it becomes evident what the brand intends to convey through its product lines: “[We] bring together healthier life products and brands into a platform of trust and authenticity where people can share the products they love with their circles. Customer empathy and empowerment are essential components of our growth and future,” Tetro says.
Beyond collaboration to create a deep bond among team members, empathy is the foundation of successful teamwork. Empathy is not only a desired quality in high-performing teams but also a fundamental component supporting productive cooperation, trust, and communication. Team members can better understand emotions, desires, and motives by seeing the world from each other’s viewpoints.
Empathy creates the foundation for a peaceful and effective team atmosphere where members collaborate well and encourage and support one another as they strive toward common objectives. The unifying factor that turns a group of people with different backgrounds and abilities into a cohesive team capable of overcoming obstacles and producing outstanding outcomes is empathy.
Demonstrating empathetic leadership in 2024 Here’s how leaders can demonstrate empathy to their workers this year, as Rachel Wells, CEO of Rachel Wells Coaching, shared via Forbes:
Employ active listening. Imagine yourself in workers’ shoes for a minute. Think holistically about steps you can take to actively support your team members, relevant to their individual circumstances and performance levels. Communicate empathy verbally. Promote work-life balance.
Understanding Empathy Empathy is a widely misunderstood concept in marketing and beyond. Empathizing with someone does not mean you blindly agree with their thoughts and opinions. Instead, true empathy is about understanding those around you.
The University of California’s Greater Good Research Center defines empathy as “the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.”
The value of empathy as a professional skill Certain topics (like equity release where a family home is involved) may trigger fear and anxiety. Or clients may feel uncomfortable in a conversation involving confusing or unfamiliar financial terms.
Clients may resist having substantive conversations for a variety of reasons.
Through emotional empathy, though, an adviser will be better placed to understand a client’s individual perspective, recognise why they feel a certain way, and encourage them to share the thoughts and feelings that may make them feel vulnerable.
Beyond collaboration to create a deep bond among team members, empathy is the foundation of successful teamwork. Empathy is not only a desired quality in high-performing teams but also a fundamental component supporting productive cooperation, trust, and communication. Team members can better understand emotions, desires, and motives by seeing the world from each other’s viewpoints.
Empathy creates the foundation for a peaceful and effective team atmosphere where members collaborate well and encourage and support one another as they strive toward common objectives. The unifying factor that turns a group of people with different backgrounds and abilities into a cohesive team capable of overcoming obstacles and producing outstanding outcomes is empathy.
Empathy in the workplace is essential to a positive employee experience.
Workplace empathy creates an environment where employees and customers feel valued, appreciated and cared for. Empathy unites business leaders and employees and helps build an inclusive and positive corporate culture. In a world where employees often measure up potential employers based on culture, empathy and kindness, understanding and displaying authentic empathy is crucial for modern businesses.
Understanding Empathy Empathy is a widely misunderstood concept in marketing and beyond. Empathizing with someone does not mean you blindly agree with their thoughts and opinions. Instead, true empathy is about understanding those around you.
The University of California’s Greater Good Research Center defines empathy as “the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.”
Executives are not exercising what most likely makes up this most critical skill. Julia Milner
When asked what traits constitute a good leader, you may be tempted to list traditional qualities such as rationality, cool-headedness and, overall, an ability to detach oneself from one’s emotions.
However, research has shown that the ability to feel empathy towards one’s colleagues is in fact the most critical leadership skill, and much overlooked. Empathy is on record for boosting employees’ ability to innovate, engage with the task at hand, balance work and life demands, and not least, motivate them to stay within the company.
Empathy is often lauded as a great way to boost employees’ ability to innovate, ability to engage with tasks, balance work and life demands, and implore employees to stay at their current positions.
However, many organisations see a lack of managers expressing empathy, as detailed by Julia Milner, a Professor of Leadership at the EDHEC Business School in an article for The Conversation. In a recent research paper on effective leadership authored by Professor Milner, what she found was that managers rated empathy as one of the most challenging skills, above the skills of asking questions and providing feedback.
I don’t think empathy is a soft skill. In fact, it is the hardest skill we learn, to relate to the world, to relate to the people that matter the most to us. In fact, innovation is about meeting the unmet, unarticulated needs of customers. What’s the source of that? Some would say design thinking. But design thinking is empathy. - I would say it's actually a very important buisiness skill.” Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella made this statement during an exclusive interview with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner.
At my company, BriteCo, we've seen empathy help enable employee retention, drive customer satisfaction and sales, improve innovation and create a supportive work environment and culture. People who feel appreciated and acknowledged want to go to bat or you and your business.
Our employees are excited and engaged and want to contribute. They function in a safe environment where everybody feels that they can weigh in. They feel heard and valued, relevant and important. It has also helped us recruit outstanding talent, where people have referred colleagues and former co-workers to us. That culture of empathy has spread to partners, customers, vendors and every aspect of our business. When you're an empathetic leader, the approach and benefits are felt company-wide.
Discover why empathy, the hardest skill according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, is essential for success in life and business.
Nadella's belief in the power of empathy is not confined to his personal life. He emphasises its importance in the professional realm as well. He contends that empathy for one's team is a crucial element in career development. When leaders empathise with their team members, it fosters an environment where individuals can perform at their best, leading to progress and success.
Furthermore, studies have shown that empathy is one of the most critical leadership skills. Nearly 90% of surveyed U.S. workers reported that having an empathetic manager enhances job satisfaction, productivity, and loyalty.
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