The ROI of empathy: How compassion drives employee productivity

In today’s workplace metrics, KPIs, and performance evaluations often overpower most of the discussions leaving behind some of the most important human qualities like empathy and compassion. Empathy is in fact a significant factor that can fuel employee productivity and wellbeing.

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the importance of leaders who are considerate, emotionally intelligent, and empathetic. Amongst all the Leadership styles, Mindful Leadership has gained a lot of praise and value due to the impact it has had on building genuine and compassionate connections with one another. 

Empathy can take the form of support, consideration, understanding, and even care that employees and managers show towards each other. Fundamentally, empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes understand their emotions, and respond to them from a place of genuine understanding rather than judgment or inhibition. In the workplace, empathy translates into practices such as offering help to colleagues who are overwhelmed, providing constructive feedback, and being flexible with employees facing personal challenges.

1. Empathy drives home a feeling of harmony, community and mutual support, and cooperation. When employees feel safe enough to express their ideas and concerns truly and openly, mutual collaboration improves. This in turn leads to more innovative solutions.
2. Employees who feel more involved in the organization are more likely to be retained. According to a study conducted by Businessolver, 93% of employees say that they are more likely to stay with an empathetic employer. When employee engagement levels are high, they automatically help in reducing the costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training new staff.
3. It is not a purely selfless act. When you approach someone with empathy and kindness, it does not only benefit them but also benefits you and your wellbeing in the long run. It helps you approach situations with more ease and calmness instead of negativity and stress.
4. The snowball effect of empathy and kindness- It is very natural to develop empathy and kindness when you are surrounded by people who enhance and establish such a culture. Therefore employees can extend empathy to the customers as well. Employee-customer interactions that are empathetic, lead to better quality of service and increased loyalty. This positive customer experience is capable of translating into repeat business and higher revenues.

Here’s how to cultivate empathy and kindness in the workplace.

Skill development programs: 

Getting hands-on training from the professionals in the field helps in understanding the role, and scope of empathy in a professional space. It is also important to learn the boundaries that you would like to set while offering support to others to ensure your wellbeing. A professional skill-building program can cater to your needs and help you clarify your doubts.

Develop a supportive ecosystem:

There is one key element that the Leader needs to develop to create a supportive ecosystem, and that is- Active Listening. Active listening is much different than simply hearing what your employees are saying. It requires you to be 100% present and pay attention to what they are communicating, be a part of that conversation by showing active involvement in the concern, and also take a solution-oriented direction by the end of the conversation. When the employees feel heard, it helps them form a better trusting relationship and foster interpersonal connection. Emotional support is something that is ‘experienced’ so focus on creating experiences that make employees feel trusted, appreciated, and acknowledged.

Offer flexible work arrangements: 

Employees appreciate the provision of flexible work arrangements as it allows them to have better control over the situation and create a work-life balance. Allowing flexibility with timings or mode of work whenever possible results in building better understanding and trust with your employees.

LEAP by Manah Wellness:

This program is aimed at training HR professionals to launch a successful campaign in their respective workplaces. The LEAP program consists of Wellbeing Guidebooks, Wellbeing Resources, Expert Sessions, and Wellbeing Toolkits. You can sign up for the program here.

FAQs

1. Are empathy and sympathy the same?

No, empathy and sympathy are different from each other. Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of another person, essentially putting yourself in their shoes. Sympathy, on the other hand, means feeling sorrow for the hardships that the other person has/had to go through, but without necessarily sharing their emotional experience. There could be hierarchy when you feel sympathetic towards someone. 

While empathy is about connection and shared experience, sympathy is about acknowledging another's suffering from a more detached standpoint. Both are important, but they play different roles in human interactions.

2. Is it possible to develop empathy for someone we do not know? 

Yes, it is possible to develop empathy for someone we do not know. This can be achieved by actively listening to them, being open to understanding their experiences, and imagining their perspective and emotions. Consuming diverse media such as books, films, and articles that depict different life experiences can also foster empathy for unfamiliar individuals. Volunteering and participating in community activities expose us to varied backgrounds, enhancing our empathetic abilities. Additionally, practicing mindfulness and self-reflection can help us connect more deeply with the emotions and situations of people we have not personally met.