Here at Technalink we’ve seen firsthand how things like attitudes, communication, and spirituality can impact a business work environment in big ways. But we’re always surprised at how many people just don’t bother mastering the art of workplace empathy.
When leaders are able to show their own high level of empathy in the workplace, it drifts into the actions of their employees as well. A more empathetic workplace is one that fosters creativity and development more completely and that is able to avoid a large amount of the workplace strife that occurs throughout offices in this country.
While there’s no guarantee that developing stronger empathy will help your company as much as it can others, it’s still a very important aspect to focus on. Here are some things that can help you build a more empathetic workplace environment.
- It starts with your approach to conflicts. Conflicts occur on an almost daily basis in the workplace, but they’re usually small things like a discussion or disagreement over how to finish a project. Approaching these conflicts by listening to both sides and trying to understand their own feelings is key to better empathy.
- It’s also important to understand the needs of employees – especially when unforeseen circumstances arise. Things like family emergencies or illness shouldn’t mean that an employee is in trouble or that they have to choose between their personal and professional lives. Instead, you should be understanding and work with them through their challenges.
- Also try to guide employees towards being more understanding of one another as well. While leading by example is the best option here, the reality is that just taking the time to introduce some basic steps or guides towards co-worker relations can help your company significantly.
More empathy in the workplace means more chances to keep your company moving forwards in a healthy manner that is free from as much stress as possible. Take the time and initiative to do so and you’ll benefit greatly – and so will your team.
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