{"id":6589,"date":"2018-01-09T09:30:45","date_gmt":"2018-01-08T22:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roubler.com\/au\/?p=6589"},"modified":"2018-10-18T17:48:49","modified_gmt":"2018-10-18T06:48:49","slug":"empathy-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roubler.com\/au\/resources\/blog\/empathy-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Practicing Empathy in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Empathy is the capacity to comprehend and share another person\u2019s feelings. More than just acting with sympathy, empathy allows us to take a walk in someone else\u2019s shoes, and understand them better as a result. Empathy is a crucial element of every human relationship, and the workplace should be no different. The importance of empathy in the workplace is often downplayed. However, shared empathy among colleagues and management does wonders for workplace morale. It demonstrates respect<\/a>, and proves a level of care extending beyond the workload. Leaders who display empathy are far more likely to foster a productive and loyal team, and are more highly regarded. The Harvard Business Review lists empathy as a core competency for leaders. So, what exactly is the importance of empathy in the workplace?<\/p>\n

Why does empathy matter at work?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Annie McKee recounts in the Harvard Business Review <\/a>the story of a man who approached her for help. He needed to become more empathetic. After 7 years of fixing financials within a large business, everything he had worked at started falling apart. Employees were quitting, teams weren\u2019t getting along \u2013in each division he managed to drastically cut costs, but he left behind a toxic culture. His focus on results, and lack of care for relationships, had essentially imploded.The moral of this man\u2019s story is that empathy is a kind of glue that keeps relationships flourishing, and teams functioning. When employees think that their feelings and struggles\u00a0are being completely ignored by management, it is easy for them to think the company isn\u2019t invested in them \u2013 results seem the only important factor.Empathy not only allows managers to better understand their employees, but it also allows employees to push themselves further without concern that they will be scalded for any unsuccessful attempts. Empathetic workplaces see far higher levels of employee satisfaction and productivity.<\/p>\n

How can you build empathy?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Empathy is crucial to all successful workplaces, but that doesn\u2019t mean that it comes naturally for all leaders. \u00a0McKee lists three simple steps that leaders can take to improve their levels of empathy.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Listen intently, observe, and pose questions<\/strong>
    \nMcKee suggests taking advantage of the moment, and closely observing employee\u2019s body language and statements, instead of focusing on what you\u2019re going to reply to them. This sounds a lot easier in theory, as it can be quite difficult to detach yourself from the practice of being completely in control of the interaction. Furthermore, you need to cease presuming that you know exactly what everyone is feeling and thinking. Even if your assumptions turn out to be correct, there is also far more that you can learn if you listen and observe.<\/li>\n
  2. Intently engage with the moment and the person
    \n<\/strong>Distractions are a plenty in this era. It is all too easy to let the ding of the emails shift your focus from your meeting to your phone. There will forever be a deadline on the horizon, a phone call to answer, a crisis breaking out, or a dispute to settle. Each of these distractions leads us further away from the moment, and into what McKee calls a \u201csky is falling\u201d headspace. When in this headspace, our first instinct is fight-or-flight \u2013 the complete opposite headspace required to nurture healthy workplace relationships. McKee notes that this headspace is very tough to get out of, and recommends meditation and deep-breathing to help.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Multi-tasking needs to stop!
      \n<\/strong>Multi-tasking is heralded as the ultimate in productivity, however McKee suggests that it actually just reduces the focus you have on each task. If each of the tasks you\u2019re trying to complete are important, there\u2019s no way you\u2019ll get each of them done to the best of your ability. Multi-tasking is especially detrimental when it comes to dealing with people. If you\u2019re composing an email to one employee whilst having a conversation with another, neither employee is experiencing your full attention \u2013 and one of them will certainly recognise that.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      More empathy in the workplace for happier employers <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Employees want to feel valued, appreciated, and as though they matter. After all, your business wouldn\u2019t be functioning without them. Ask your employees for feedback, listen to their questions and queries, and invest your time in them. Healthy relationships are absolutely vital to your business\u2019s success, and ensuring your actions are fuelled by empathy is a great way to get started.<\/p>\n

      <\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Empathy is the capacity to comprehend and share another person\u2019s feelings. More than just acting with sympathy, empathy …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":6595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[885],"tags":[737,6,13,738,14,39,19,20,21,739],"class_list":["post-6589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-managing-employees","tag-empathy-in-the-workplace","tag-employee-engagement","tag-hr-software","tag-leadership-qualities","tag-performance-management-software","tag-roubler","tag-workforce-management-software","tag-workforce-motivation","tag-workplace-productivity","tag-workplace-relationships"],"yoast_head":"\nThe benefits of practising empathy at work Roubler Australia Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Leaders who display empathy foster more productive and loyal teams, and are more highly regarded. 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