The Power of Empathy in Business

Empathy can transform leaders into powerful change agents, but it can also transform the business itself. In a recent study of more than 600 companies, results showed that those companies who focused on organizational health and understood their employees yielded twice as much financial performance as those who did not (Keller & Price). Although finding time to shadow employees or learn about their struggles in a hands-on way may be a big challenge, research is pointing to the fact that companies can’t afford NOT to be intentional about developing relationships that lead to a deep understanding of employee needs and desires. This is certainly what I have found to be true in my research and work experiences.
More than just understanding, leaders must make empathy a core value of their leadership practice. A culture of empathy must be palpable and supported by the Chief Executive Officer, the c-suite, middle management, and frontline staff. Initiatives with daily practices have to be hardwired into the infrastructure to create, develop, and build this culture trait of empathy. For me, gaining an even deeper empathy required me to shadow my employees to literally “put myself in their shoes.”
If a healthcare leader does not possess the competency of interpersonal relationships including the value of empathy, they will have major problems in a people industry like healthcare. Healthcare is an industry that functions for people and by people. Basing your environment on the value of empathy builds connectivity between all levels, all position titles, and all job descriptions. This connection between employee and employer results in measurable organizational success.

You may also like