The Power of Empathy in the Workspace
Fostering Productivity and Retention
The company I worked for was needing to re-seal the roof in the building we all worked in. The smell of melted rubber and gasoline was every where, leading to headaches and nausea. The part that was most frustrating though is that we had no circulation from windows, only an A/C unit that got air from..you guessed it, the roof.
Many of us were ready to leave early because no one was able to get work done with the smell. Instead of letting us leave early and come back the next day to a better smelling work environment, they told us we could leave but it would be taken out of our sick leave or vacation hours. There was no empathy that the company had decided to do something that disrupted our ability to be productive, gave us headaches, and then wanted us to have to take from our hard earned time. This example is one of hundreds that the company did that communicated they did not see us as valuable assets.
In today's fast-paced and competitive work environment, productivity often takes precedence over everything else, even the health and well-being people who make a company great.
As organizations are rushing to optimize resources, drive results, or even just remodel the building or company, it is easy to overlook the importance of empathy and its profound impact on building a productive team. When something is a “soft skill” like empathy, it’s often left behind in the hustle which can have major consequences, including a high turnover rate that can impede progress and success or a toxic work environment that ripples into the customer experience. That company I worked for, had the largest turn over in any company I’ve ever worked for. They had new hiring and training classes every month to fill the gaps of people leaving.
It is crucial for leaders to remember that their employees are not mere resources in a machine; they are human beings with unique needs and circumstances. Maybe it’s not time off for remodeling, instead it’s including resources for your Queer employees or investing in Anti-Racism training. It could be transforming an unused office into a meditation room or paying for HR to learn more about different cultures.
Focusing on the humanity and accommodating your employees diverse circumstances, leaders can create an environment where individuals feel valued, heard, and supported. This level of empathy can significantly contribute to the overall well-being of the team, leading to increased loyalty, reduced turnover, and higher productivity.
Personally, I believe the most important focus for leaders to embrace is the fact that each employee has different needs, especially outside of the workplace. Employees may be parents juggling responsibilities, individuals going through important life transitions, or even facing personal challenges such as domestic violence or battling illnesses like cancer. Acknowledging and understanding these diverse needs enables leaders to create a supportive work environment that recognizes employees as whole individuals, rather than just professionals who clock in and out. Because even you, as a leader, have aspects of your life that impact your work, whether you want to admit it or not, because you are human.
Having empathy for yourself, and what you may need, can help you be more open to empowering those around you. When your needs are met you become less bitter or frustrated that your employees are needing resources as well.
It’s also been proven that when employees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to feel safer in the workplace. By fostering a culture of empathy, leaders build trust and establish an atmosphere where individuals can freely express themselves without fear of judgment or repercussion. This sense of psychological safety empowers employees to bring their whole selves to work, resulting in increased creativity and collaboration, as well as more stable mental health.
There is also the ripple effect, when you start to see your employees as people, well, empathetic leaders start investing more in the personal and professional growth of their team members. They take the time to understand their employees' strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations, helping them nurture their talents and overcome obstacles. When you start supporting the individual growth journeys, leaders empower their employees to develop new skills, achieve personal milestones, and contribute more effectively to the organization's success. I would definitely call that a win/win.
Beyond individual interactions, it is essential to foster a culture of empathy throughout the organization, basically you can’t change a company with only empowering one or two team members. Real change is achieved through policies and practices that prioritize employee well-being, such as flexible working hours, family-friendly policies, or programs that address mental and physical health. By demonstrating a commitment to the overall welfare of your workforce, leaders not only increase retention but also attract top talent, as job seekers now actively seek out organizations that prioritize and value employee well-being.
Leaving empathy out of the workspace is a surefire way to destroy a productive team and cultivate a high turnover problem, which I think we can all agree is what we do not want to do. As leaders, it is our responsibility to recognize that our employees are complex individuals with diverse needs and circumstances. When you focus on sharping your empathy skills, you start to better understand these needs, and create a supportive work environment. We then can empower our team members, boost retention rates, and ultimately drive productivity to new heights. This doesn’t happen over night, but is a slow process built by real interactions and decisions that you make each and every day, so ask yourself, “What is one thing I can do today to integrate empathy into my leadership?”