THE EMPATHETIC WORKPLACE

Pallavi Pinakin writes that a compassionate culture reaps rich rewards

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented stress on employees – from not knowing whether they’ll have a job next month to balancing work with childcare and battling mental health issues.

In the face of these challenges, corporates have responded in drastically different ways. Some have resorted to large-scale layoffs to protect their bottom lines and shareholder value, while others have fiercely guarded their workforces and stepped up support.

No prizes for guessing which of these strategies will create more goodwill, trust and loyalty among employees.

We often talk about caring behaviour as the right thing to do but tend to overlook the competitive edge it can give an organisation. A compassion-led culture drives better performance and higher profitability not to mention lower rates of turnover.

Think about it. As an employee, would you give your best to a company that treated you like a cog in a machine? Would you turn down a better paying job to stay with such a company? Of course not! Uncaring companies create uncaring employees who are less engaged and mostly demotivated.

Also at stake is innovation, which is a necessary component for any business that wants to stick around for the long haul.

A caring workplace is defined by trust and psychological safety where failure isn’t punished but used as a learning opportunity. When workers are assured that their team has their back, people are empowered to explore bold ideas, take risks and admit mistakes.

Studies have repeatedly shown that if a company is unwilling to take chances, employees are forced to play it safe and thereby sound the death knell for creativity.


LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, a longtime advocate of compassionate management, has pointed out that trust enables a company to move quickly. As he explained in his 2018 address to Wharton’s graduating class, “the long-term value of a company is based on the speed and quality of its decision making.”

“It’s hard to make better decisions faster when people on the team lack trust in one another and are constantly questioning each other’s motivations. The flip side is developing a culture where people take the time to understand the other person’s perspective and not assume nefarious intention, build trust and align around a shared mission,” Weiner said.

At a time of crisis such as COVID-19, a caring workplace is all the more vital to support employees who are struggling. It reinforces loyalty and facilitates creative solutions in an ever-changing landscape.

Here are a few ways to infuse your team or organisation with more compassion.

GENUINENESS At the heart of strong trusting relationships is sincerity. When you ask a colleague how he or she is doing, make sure you stick around to actually listen to the answer and respond.

If you’re taking a team member out for coffee, ask insightful questions and share personal experiences. Superficial interactions don’t create lasting bonds or open up space for tough but important conversations.

COMPASSION When things go wrong, our brains immediately switch into primal mode. So when a coworker misses a deadline or makes a mistake, your first reaction could easily be one of anger, blame or hostility. But compassion requires you to take a step back, breathe and switch gears.

The person is probably already stressed and embarrassed. So why would you want to add to that? Ask the crucial questions instead: Why? What happened? How can I support you? How can we resolve the problem and get back on track?

Remember: your team member may be dealing with a challenge that you know nothing about – so make the effort to find out.

INCLUSIVENESS With more employees working from home, often scattered across different time zones, the need for inclusive meetings has taken on added urgency. Inclusion means not only having a seat but a voice at the table as well.

Send an email inviting people to come ‘ready to share as well as listen.’ It’s a wonderful tip recommended by Priya Parker – the author of The Art of Gathering. Share the agenda and any material at least a day in advance so that people across time zones have a chance to read them.

Limit the number of invitees and ask a variety of people to complete different tasks such as make a presentation, guide the discussion, take notes, conduct the Q&A session and so on. This way, more people will have an opportunity to be involved and contribute.

VALIDATION Some people respond to coworkers’ problems by trying to make them appear smaller by comparison: ‘Buck up! This is nothing compared to…’

Encouraging a change in perspective isn’t bad but you need to begin by first seeing their problem and then validating their feelings. This creates a safe and supportive environment, which enables you to share suggestions and move forward.