How To Cultivate A Workplace Culture Of Kindness And Empathy
Practicing kindness and empathy can have a real business impact
Posted on 04-01-2022, Read Time: 6 Min
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In ever-changing and complex business environments, kindness and empathy can seem like traits that are nice to have, but not necessarily essential. As new ways of working have given employees more options and external forces have created unique challenges, practicing kindness and empathy – both factors of emotional intelligence – can have a real business impact. Research from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)® suggests that empathy is positively related to job performance; managers in the study who were rated as empathetic by their reports were also rated as high performing by their own boss.
Kindness and empathy are key components of effective leadership and are critical to supporting the engagement and retention of employees. In order for companies to develop effective managers and leaders capable of moving their organizations forward during volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) times, these power skills must be recognized. The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting disruption have forced organizations to look beyond traditional strategies for management development and focus on cultivating the skills most important for success.
The Necessary Shift to Human-Centered Leadership
Given the challenges that face us today, effective leadership must become more human-centered and focused on mindful collaboration with others from varying teams, departments, countries, cultures, and backgrounds. This is even more imperative now as research reveals the pandemic’s lingering effects on employees: 78% of leaders report the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health, 94% of leaders at all levels report being stressed, 90% state that workplace stress impacts their home life, and overall levels of anxiety, depression and PTSD have increased up to 55%.
The ability to be compassionate and connect with others is critical to our lives, both personally and professionally. Demonstrating kindness and empathy in the workplace improves human interactions and can lead to more effective communication and positive business outcomes.
Fortunately, kindness and empathy are not fixed traits, but can be learned and fostered. HR leaders can encourage the building of these skills across the organization in several ways.
The ability to be compassionate and connect with others is critical to our lives, both personally and professionally. Demonstrating kindness and empathy in the workplace improves human interactions and can lead to more effective communication and positive business outcomes.
Fortunately, kindness and empathy are not fixed traits, but can be learned and fostered. HR leaders can encourage the building of these skills across the organization in several ways.
3 Ways to Boost Kindness & Empathy in Your Organization
1. Invite Leaders to Model the Way
Emotions and behaviors can be contagious, so it’s important that leaders are modeling the right ones for the employees they lead. Now more than ever, leaders should be aware of how they’re showing up for others. Managers who are skilled at kind and empathetic leadership develop trusting teams and can recognize signs of overwork in others before burnout which results in disengagement or turnover.
For leaders to put this intentional behavior modeling into practice, they should carve out a few extra minutes each week to check in with team members and gauge how they’re handling their current workload, showing sincere interest in their challenges and goals, and proactively demonstrating a willingness to help. When team members witness acts of kindness and empathy from their manager, it can set off a positive ripple effect: they benefit from the kindness personally and are more likely to display the same behaviors to other team members with whom they interact.
For leaders to put this intentional behavior modeling into practice, they should carve out a few extra minutes each week to check in with team members and gauge how they’re handling their current workload, showing sincere interest in their challenges and goals, and proactively demonstrating a willingness to help. When team members witness acts of kindness and empathy from their manager, it can set off a positive ripple effect: they benefit from the kindness personally and are more likely to display the same behaviors to other team members with whom they interact.
2. Adopt a People-First Leadership Lens
The shift to a more remote and hybrid workplace has allowed productivity to increase in many ways, but that can often come at the cost of human connection. HR leaders can work to foster a kinder and more people-first environment by encouraging leaders to take the following steps:
- Build team connections. Teams that meet frequently, utilize check-ins, share appreciation and prioritize the social aspect of work will form stronger relationships. Part of being human is acknowledging and fostering our need for connection – and making the time to do it.
- Be intentional with meetings. Productive and intentional meetings can support employees’ work-life balance. Managers should evaluate the following questions prior to scheduling meetings with their team members: Is a meeting needed? Who should attend? Is there an agenda and purpose? Is the time mindful of those working in differing time zones?
- Focus on feedback. Giving effective feedback is one of the most important skills a manager can develop. Whether the feedback is positive or constructive, it can (and should be) delivered in a way that is kind and empathetic, and that motivates the employee to keep improving.
3. Encourage Perspective-Taking
Many managers still consider task-oriented skills to be more vital than so-called “soft skills” or “people skills,” so it’s critical that the organization communicates the importance of prioritizing empathy.
Remind managers to practice approaching a situation from the perspective of their team members. This includes taking into account the personal lived experiences or social identities of their employees, as well as the demands placed on an employee outside of work. The pandemic highlighted the need for managers to lead with kindness and empathy, as many team members were forced to juggle things like homeschooling and caring for aging family members, in addition to the everyday demands of their job.
This type of perspective-taking behavior can be helpful in building strong relationships, managing conflicts, solving problems, and driving innovation.
Remind managers to practice approaching a situation from the perspective of their team members. This includes taking into account the personal lived experiences or social identities of their employees, as well as the demands placed on an employee outside of work. The pandemic highlighted the need for managers to lead with kindness and empathy, as many team members were forced to juggle things like homeschooling and caring for aging family members, in addition to the everyday demands of their job.
This type of perspective-taking behavior can be helpful in building strong relationships, managing conflicts, solving problems, and driving innovation.
Build Stronger, More Engaged Teams with a Workplace Culture of Kindness & Empathy
When managers assume a people-first leadership lens, maximizing kindness and empathy, the entire organization benefits. Managers improve their own effectiveness while team effectiveness is also elevated and costly turnover decreases.
Kind and empathetic leaders positively influence organizations and business outcomes, sustaining a culture that supports retention and engagement. While every organization is unique, those that develop a culture of kindness will witness heightened levels of trust and deepened relationships, which are critical components of successfully led organizations across the globe.
Kind and empathetic leaders positively influence organizations and business outcomes, sustaining a culture that supports retention and engagement. While every organization is unique, those that develop a culture of kindness will witness heightened levels of trust and deepened relationships, which are critical components of successfully led organizations across the globe.
Author Bio
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Allison Barr is a Leadership Solutions Partner at the Center for Creative Leadership with a rich history in international business and public speaking. Allison enjoys supporting clients with their most complex obstacles, from organizational change, to psychological safety, to the nuanced nature of EDI. Visit Center for Creative Leadership Connect Allison Barr |
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