{"id":701,"date":"2021-08-23T06:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T10:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futureofworkexchange.com\/?p=701"},"modified":"2021-08-26T17:43:05","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T21:43:05","slug":"once-more-with-feeling-empathy-is-the-only-way-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/futureofworkexchange.com\/2021\/08\/23\/once-more-with-feeling-empathy-is-the-only-way-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"Once More, With Feeling: Empathy Is the Only Way Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy, we can all sense a mysterious connection to each other.\u201d \u2013 Meryl Streep<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the past several months, there’s one word that has popped up more than so many others in my conversations with hiring managers, business leaders, HR practitioners, and talent acquisition executives. It’s a word that hasn’t been used very often in the corporate world, but it’s a concept that we are learning has such a profound effect on how work gets done. It’s at the very heart of who we are as humans and it’s a reflection of the energy we put out into the world around us. And, as we are finding, it’s a foundational way for businesses and their leaders to build long-lasting relationships with their workforce.<\/p>\n

Empathy<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Many of us knew exactly what it would be like when the biggest remote work experiment in history kicked off in the dark days of March 2020. However, many others struggled with newfound responsibilities within their home as kids shuffled no further than the kitchen table and a laptop instead of to the bus. Many of us waded in the collective, anxious waters of a global pandemic that forced us indoors and to shutter social interaction. And too many of us still bear the scars of the most dangerous public health crisis in our lifetimes.<\/p>\n

All of this means one thing: empathy must<\/em> be the root of how we move forward. It must be the foundational layer to how we approach how work gets done and how we structure a workplace environment that is both inclusive and safe. It also means that, in the face of the Delta variant’s rampage across the country (and world), we as business leaders and we as business workers must prioritize empathy in nearly every facet of how we address our roles, our jobs, and our communications with each other.<\/p>\n

Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research finds that 77% of businesses expect more empathy-driven leadership moving forward within their organizations, proving that \u201ccold\u201d and archaic modes of leadership, particularly instilling a culture of fear and rigidity, are detrimental to the overall enterprise. In order to retain talent and reengage key workers when needed, business leaders must create, foster, and deliver on the best possible workplace culture. By reinforcing expectations, practicing transparency, promoting positivity, and leveraging accountability (for both workers and managers), business leaders will ensure that empathetic efforts will help their organizations improve the talent experience for its total workforce.<\/p>\n

Empathy within the workplace (and the workforce) has incredible benefits:<\/p>\n