Forbes
Why Being Empathetic At Work Really Matters
By: Amway
Move over, creativity and adaptability. Empathy is also an increasingly desirable trait in the modern workplace. A recent study by Businessolver found that 87% of CEOs agree that empathy can boost an organization’s financial performance. And everyone from senior leadership to HR teams and employees themselves think it boosts efficiency and motivation overall.
Ways Empathy Promotes Workplace Wellness
“Empathy should matter to organizations,” says Stephen Young, a senior research scientist at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). It’s about more than just being nice, though: Prioritizing empathy can lead to better business outcomes overall, as well as developing workforce diversity.
While it’s clear that empathy is an essential thread in the fabric of a business culture—important for both companies and the people they hire to demonstrate—the study also reveals that more than 90% of respondents still think it’s actually “undervalued” by businesses. Here, Young explores three main types of empathy and shares why it makes a difference:
- Affective empathy: Causes individuals to experience the same emotions as others
- Cognitive empathy: Enables people to understand others’ thoughts and feelings
- Behavioral empathy: Consists of the verbal and nonverbal behaviors that demonstrate affected and/or cognitive empathy
Why Does Empathy Matter?
So how can relating to a colleague’s struggles or understanding a CEO’s perspective build a more fulfilling work environment? By encouraging employees to share their thoughts and feelings, leaders can foster a culture of collaboration and honesty among staff. Understanding the desires and pain points of consumers can help developers design products that connect with them on an emotional level. And considering the experiences of those who are different from us can spark life-changing innovation, like finding new ways to use artificial intelligence to help people with disabilities.
Empaths-In-Training
For those who find it challenging to relate to others, Young points to “emerging evidence that empathy can be developed.” As an example, he cites a study involving college students with low levels of cognitive empathy who made significant progress after writing stories about the experiences of people from a marginalized group. Results showed that students exhibited less prejudiced attitudes and more supportive behavior months after writing.
Even industry giants are putting empathy into practice. A major automaker, for example, used an “Empathy Belly” to teach engineers about the highs and lows of driving while pregnant. Workers strap on a weighted suit, sit in a car and try to perform simple tasks, from putting on a seatbelt to changing the radio station. As they learn to consider the experiences of and potential challenges for pregnant drivers, workers can then use that information to make architectural modifications, such as raising the height of a vehicle’s roof or redesigning a steering wheel.
Integrating Empathy Into The Workplace
There are a variety of strategies to foster empathy in employees. At CCL, for example, Young says leaders are trained on “empathic communication behaviors by teaching some core skills that leaders at all levels can use to hold effective conversations.” Here, he shares fresh ideas for how leaders can improve their ability to empathize with employees.
Make listening a priority: Listen attentively and then summarize, clarify and paraphrase what an individual is saying to you. These verbal expressions of understanding are the building blocks of empathic communication.
Ask—don’t tell: Avoid asking direct questions, disputing facts or arguing with a worker. Instead, pose powerful questions, such as “How can I best support you?” or “What are your goals?”—which are queries that explore a situation rather than attempt to solve a problem.
Combine empathic skills with core capabilities: It’s not enough to simply challenge and support a team. Establish next steps and hold team members accountable by collaboratively setting goals and then following up.
Even with the advice above, establishing workplace wellness through empathy is not an easy task. Whether a team member is aiming to improve listening skills or a company leader is seeking to design standards and practices that encourage a more compassionate and partnerly work environment, empathy takes time and patience. It’s a gradual learning process requiring continual real-world application and mindful behavior, explains Young: “These skills sound simple, but it takes time to get them right by deliberately practicing over and over.”
