In February, we talked about embracing emotions at work and becoming comfortable with discomfort. This month, we’re talking about empathy, which builds on those. An Ernst & Young Consulting Study about empathy in the workplace found that “The majority (86%) of employees believe empathetic leadership boosts morale, while 87% of employees say empathy is essential to fostering an inclusive environment.” The study concluded that empathetic leadership has multiple upsides, including:
Inspiring positive change within the workplace (87%)
Mutual respect between employees and leaders (87%)
Increased productivity among employees (85%)
Reduced employee turnover (78%)
Despite these numbers, companies are increasingly getting empathy wrong. The study showed that more than half of all employees do not believe their companies’ efforts toward increased empathy are authentic. Employees also noted a lack of follow-through.
Image Credit: EY Authentic Empathy Study
So what’s to be done? Most leaders don’t know how to lead with empathy because they’ve never been taught how to do it. Empathetic leadership takes knowledge and intention to implement. Training, 1-to-1 coaching, and team coaching can all lift organizations and leaders to higher levels of performance and profit through empathetic leadership. At Avenue 8, we know a lot about empathy in the workplace and the great benefits it yields when leaders develop this skill. Let us know how we can help you and your organization.