Why Empathy is a Must-Have in the Workplace
Understanding other people's emotions is a key skill in the workplace. It can enable us to resolve conflicts, build more productive teams, and improve our relationships with the people around us. However, many people are self-conscious about discussing their own feelings, never mind someone else's!
In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of empathy, what it means to show empathy and the steps we can take to cultivate empathy in the workplace — for a culture of openness and emotional wellbeing amongst our colleagues.
What is empathy?
Empathy is about making emotional connections with people. Empathy is a crucial part of emotional intelligence. Empathy requires you to be present, recognise the individual’s emotion and respond based on the information heard.
Research professor and author Brené Brown identifies 4 attributes of empathy:
Perspective Taking
This refers to being able to see the world as others see it. This requires putting aside our own stuff and really just listening to what they are going through.Staying out of Judgement
This means being open to what they are feeling and refraining from comments that may invalidate their experience.Recognising Emotions: This means searching within yourself and recalling what it is like to experience the same feeling that the other person seems to be experiencing. It is a willingness to acknowledge fully what they are feeling and perhaps naming
Communicating understanding
Communicating the emotions of the other person. It is common for us to want to make things better. However, while the person in front of you has likely approached you for help, the first step is to always show that you understand and care.
Why is empathy important in the workplace?
A culture of empathy leads to closer relationships at work.
Demonstrating empathy helps team members feel safe and comfortable opening up about work or even personal issues. This helps to build trust and fosters a sense of psychological safety in the organisation. Trust is an emotion that drives people, and people drive performance and productivity.
A culture of empathy promotes a better sense of collaboration.
“Take care of your people, and they’ll take care of the business”.
When there is a culture of empathy within an organisation, workers are comfortable about working in collaboration. We can learn to communicate clear expectations to get work done and be relational with the people that we work with and help each other succeed.
How can we build a culture of empathy at work?
Look out for each other and demonstrate an interest in each other lives in the organisation
Reach out to team members who may display signs of burnout or mental health struggles
Being kind to yourself when facing a difficult situation (i.e. demonstrating self-compassion)
Show interest and listen without judgement when someone shares something difficult with you
How can we become better listeners?
Be slow to speak, quick to listen.
Practice refraining from:
Jumping to conclusions; assuming that you know it all
Trying to solve their problems at the start, as it can make the individual feel invalidated
Telling your own story at the beginning. This shifts the focus to you and not them.
Giving false promises or assurances, i.e. saying “Things will get better” or “I will always be here for you.”
Instead, we can validate their emotions to demonstrate unconditional acceptance.
One way to do so is by reflecting what you’ve heard or observed, and you may use sentence starters like: “That sounds like…” or “You seem…”. You may also label the emotion the person is feeling as they share their experience. This helps the person feel heard, and gives them the space to correct you if you have misunderstood.
Empathy starts with us
As we demonstrate empathy to others, we must learn to show empathy towards ourselves too — be our own best friend and be kind to ourselves when things are not going so well. Recognise the emotions we are feeling and take time to validate and practise self-care.
Note that there are no good or bad emotions, and emotions have hidden messages that communicate what we truly need. It is what we do with the feeling that can either be helpful or harmful. Knowing this is important, as this helps us to have genuine empathy towards others.
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This blog article is adapted from content shared by Joseph Quek (Professional Counsellor, Educator and Mental Health Advocate)
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