Empathy hasn’t always been considered part of leaders’ or employees’ skill sets. This skill has even been perceived as a weakness, especially among men. However, partly thanks to Generation Z, attitudes toward empathy are changing. They see empathy as an essential skill – and there is research to back up this idea. Certainly, the ongoing pandemic and the emotional toll on the public has also shown the importance of more focus on workplace environments that foster empathy.
Workplace empathy is especially important for those in leadership roles. Several studies have suggested that empathy is an essential component of emotional intelligence and a fundamental characteristic of effective leaders. It allows them to show their teams that they are aware of others’ needs and that they care about these needs. Not only is this skill needed for those under their immediate charge, but also coworkers in other locations.(1)
However, emotional intelligence and empathy are not only critical for leaders at the top—they are skills that should be prevalent in the workplace at all levels. Again, there is research that provides a good reason why. One study that analyzed data from 6,731 managers in 38 countries found that bosses saw managers who practiced compassionate leadership toward direct reports as better performers. Leaders rated as empathetic by their team were also rated as high-performing by their boss.(2) These numbers strongly suggest that the effects are reciprocal.
This begs the question, what shapes managers into empathetic leaders? The answers can vary, but one common step is creating a space for empathy. This means giving employees the means to express empathy to one another in a setting that provides opportunities to practice and foster the skill of empathy and the act of listening. More than merely hearing for the sake of hearing, but the ability to actively hear in order to understand others. To excel as active listeners and look for nonverbal cues such as tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions that will convey more meaning beyond the limitations of spoken language.
Customer service and sales platform provider Zendesk delivered a notable case study for empathy through listening. Its employees participated in six “empathy circles” over one year, and the company saw dramatic results in the employees’ views of the workplace. Out of the roughly 1,000 employees that attended, 95 percent of them stated the sessions helped build a safe space and empathy in the workplace. These sessions were mostly unstructured conversations and not about work-related events. Instead, they covered a wide range of topics—anything from racism to childcare.(2)
The takeaway here is that while empathy is a skill that shows measurable dividends such as how superiors and subordinates view each other’s performance, it is the working culture itself that makes the biggest difference. As one Businessolver survey found, eight in ten employees said they would be willing to work longer hours for an empathetic employer, and 90 percent would be more likely to stay in their position, decreasing expensive turnover rates for companies. And yet the same survey discovered that 92 percent of employees felt their bosses were failing to adequately appreciate empathy in the workplace. So, showing and exercising empathy is demonstrating a positive effect—it will require more education on the part of leaders to understand this and start personal cultural changes.
Sources
1. Gentry, William A., et. al. “Empathy in the Workplace.” Center for Creative Leadership, Accessed 24 November 2021, cclinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/empathyintheworkplace.pdf.
2. Castrillon, Caroline. “How To Cultivate Empathy In The Workplace.” Forbes, 15 August 2021, forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2021/08/15/how-to-cultivate-empathy-in-the-workplace/?sh=32f259de157a.