Cultivating Empathy in the Workplace

What role does empathy play in the workplace? And why does it matter?

Empathy is about understanding your workers, York said. It is a key part of emotional intelligence and effective leadership, and it can improve human interactions, leading to more-effective communication and positive outcomes.
6 Ways to Become a More Empathetic Organization
SHRM | 2022

People sometimes refer to emotional intelligence as EQ, like how we refer to intelligence as IQ. Geri Grossman, president of My Executive Coach in Buffalo, N.Y, defines EQ as the "capacity to be aware of, manage and express our emotions and to be able to manage the emotions of others. "This involves a high level of self-awareness and empathy," she said. "Our level of EQ is influenced by our values, such as respect for others, empathy and compassion. Our beliefs, socialization and upbringing also influence our level of emotional intelligence."
She's Smart—But She's Not Emotionally Intelligent
SHRM | Feb 2020

Empathy is a critical HR leadership skill. It helps build and sustain positive workplace relationships, foster diversity and inclusion, encourage cooperation and collaboration, and facilitate conflict management.
Why Empathetic HR Leaders Are More Effective
SHRM | Jan 2018
                         
Cultivating Empathy in Your Workplace

A barrier to a more empathetic workplace often stems from a lack of understanding about how to start the conversation. This is where the power of common language comes into play. Some companies have formal trainings on empathy in the workplace, bringing in experts or even culture firms to help cultivate a stronger understanding of what workplace empathy looks like in practice.
The Importance Of Cultivating Empathy In The Workplace
Forbes | Nov 2019

While soft skills are often considered less important than efficiency or professionalism to a company's success, that common misconception can be detrimental to company culture, where being able to understand and have compassion for other people's emotions is integral to working efficiently together and keeping up workplace morale
3 Ways to Integrate Empathy into Your Workplace Culture
Thrive Global | Jun 2019

Empathy doesn't mean letting colleagues and direct-reports get away with not putting in effort—or worse, behaving unethically. A study by associate professor of management and organizations Maryam Kouchaki shows that sometimes bosses can take empathy too far. Specifically, when a supervisor perceives an employee to be tired or overworked, she judges the ethical lapses less harshly. This is especially true when employees are tired for reasons outside of their control.
Take 5: Cultivating Empathy in the Workplace
Kellogg School of Management | Apr 2019

Empathy deserves its buzzy status, and leaders are wise to desire it for their businesses. But to succeed in making it part of their organization's DNA, they must pay close attention to how cultures build and change — organically, collectively, and often from the bottom up.
Making Empathy Central to Your Company Culture
Harvard Business Review | May 2019