Why Empathy Matters in the Workplace

Why Empathy Matters in the Workplace

And how to create an empathic culture.

By MATT SMITH, The Liberty Group

Talent is at an all-time demand right now. Having a strong corporate culture that resonates through the entire company will help decrease turnover while making you more appealing to candidates in the market for a change.

Candidates are interviewing you as much as you are them, and they are looking heavily at company culture, how it impacts the current staff and what it will mean to them if they choose to work for you.

High morale is largely based on a sense of empathy from leaders and managers that permeates throughout the organization. For any organization to develop a strong culture, it must start at the top with the entire leadership team aligned on what it truly means.

A workplace culture that breeds empathy will fare better at engaging staff and retaining top talent in the long haul. As we all know, retaining top talent is the goal for every organization. Evaluating your current culture and identifying areas for improvement is the first step to improving empathy, ultimately creating a more productive and thriving workplace for everyone.

Here are some steps to creating a more empathetic work environment:

Train your managers on best practices.

In many ways, your managers set the tone for the sentiment among your employees. Training your managers on best practices, in terms of effectively and ethically managing employees, is critical to ensuring they're being fully supported in their roles and can perform their jobs under managers who care about their on-the-job experience. Ongoing training in the form of monthly or quarterly programs will keep your managers up to date on the best management protocols, so you can continually build a culture of trust and loyalty among all members of your staff. If your managers do not buy in, this will never work.

Hire individuals with emotional intelligence.

At the core of the most successful workplaces is emotional intelligence, in which employees possess an ability to understand and manage the feelings of others. Making emotional intelligence a top priority during the hiring process will allow you to develop a team of employees who authentically care about working with others and collaborate to meet shared goals. This is key to driving empathy across all your company's departments and building a reputation as an employer that cares about employees on a personal level. When hiring new candidates, make sure they know the culture you are striving for and that they are aligned with that culture. One person can have a big impact if they are not aligned with the culture you are working to develop.

Value employee feedback.

When you demonstrate a willingness to actively listen to employees' concerns, you'll strengthen relationships with staff and acquire insights on what types of changes should be made to improve employee satisfaction. From monthly surveys to one-on-one meetings, there are many ways in which you can gather feedback to improve your workplace culture and create a more people-centered atmosphere. This will make every person feel heard and appreciated for their thoughts, feelings and contributions. Most importantly, you must respond to the feedback and be prepared to take action. This does not mean that your staff gets everything they want, but they have to know you hear what is being said and understand the “why” on changes or shifts you make as a company.

An empathic culture does not happen overnight and requires a sustained effort by every member of your leadership team. With the right management in place, you can gradually create a culture that breeds success through the actions of its people.

Matthew Smith is the president/CEO for The Liberty Group, a trusted adviser to America’s foremost real estate companies for executive search and temporary staffing. The Liberty Group will help you find candidates for your positions, from corportate executives to onsite personnel. Need to find top candidates? Get in touch with The Liberty Group and grow your workforce with us. Visit The Liberty Group at www.thelibertygroup.com.