Empathy & Compassion Equals Improvement
Most people would agree that compassion and empathy is something we all possess naturally. Yet it can be missing in business; it gets lost in the focus to drive forward.
In July 2017, the National Forum on Health and Wellbeing at work met to focus on the role and the impact of empathy and compassion in the workplace. The output of which resulted in several workplace toolkits which highlight practical actions that can be taken, in order to embed a compassionate and empathetic approach. The upshot of this is that it improves the well-being of the Team and productivity increases. Simply put, the team feel valued.
As we emerge from Covid 19 pandemic, where people have lost loved ones or business has suffered, where nervousness can prevail; empathy and compassion are needed now more than ever.
Having empathy is being able to place yourself in someone’s shoes and feel their given circumstances. This leads to people feeling recognised and respected. Having compassion takes this to another level by recognising the circumstances of another person and feeling compelled to take action to improve these circumstances.
That could mean, respecting the individuals space; reaching out appropriately; being non- judgemental; tolerating the person’s distress. By showing empathy and compassion as a Manager does not display weakness, nor does it distract from having focus on the business. Being human as a manager and accepting the “humanness” in the workplace, produces a team that wants to be focused, successful and productive.
Recently I was working with a young entrepreneurial style business involved in IT Software Development. Based in ROI, their team was spread across Ireland, UK and Europe and still classed as an SME with a small workforce of 10. The owner was very open about his experiences of previous management that he did not want in his Company, such as:
Managers only being interested in targets and productivity
Managers implementing changes with no consultation with the team
Team being expected to deliver more with fewer resources due to budget cuts and pressure to increase profit
This manager knew these kinds of practices can lead to staff feeling very undervalued, unappreciated, de-humanised and pressurised, which generates suffering and an unhappy team.
The manager wanted to ensure his “remote” team never experienced this and his request was to create a more open, accepting and valued team. Simply put, he wanted camaraderie, respect and feeling valued to be the guiding principles for the Team.
The changes for this business were simple to agree in principle and to action.
I worked with the Manager to Coach him in his approach in liaising with the team and to bring in new methods of working and engaging regularly with the team. The following guiding principles were proposed to the team and accepted with discussion and involvement:
Everyone has a voice and is valued. Everyone’s opinion is shared and discussed openly.
The team are non-judgemental and the atmosphere is relaxed, open and positive
Increased flexibility of working hours in order to facilitate working from home and remotely simultaneously with family life
The team meet twice annually for a “wind down” and quarterly the team are awarded a small gift of food and drink (inexpensive) for their family and friends.
The last principle may seem a bit “outlandish” but the productivity improvements, the well being of the team and the sheer improved focus from the Team, which was borne from feeling valued and respected and accepted, far outweighed the expenditure gifted by this Company. More importantly, the feeling of camaraderie in the team was present in the work delivered.
The freshness and the approach of this manager who was so determined that his staff felt valued and respected has enabled this Company to accept more projects, and yes improve the bottom line but from a perspective of a genuine team effort who wants to work in this Company and continue to feel valued.
Empathy and Compassion are being human. The workforce is human. Being human is real, with all of the foibles this brings. When we accept empathy and compassion in the workplace, we all benefit.
“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty” - Einstein