Today’s business leaders must address complex and challenging priorities, yet they often overlook a quality proven to help them be more effective: empathy. When leaders understand the needs and emotions of others, they can support their employees’ well-being without sacrificing productivity. Empathetic leaders get results, but they also create workplaces where employees thrive.
What is Empathetic Leadership?
Empathetic leadership prioritizes people and their individual needs, while still driving business success. Empathetic leaders are genuinely interested in others—curious about their point of view and what motivates them. Demonstrating empathy can be challenging for leaders, especially as showing an interest in employees’ lives hasn’t always been a business priority. However, personal insights allow managers to better support their teams, especially during difficult times.
Jackie Ferguson, VP of Content, Programming and Products at The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options Company, explains that an empathetic approach transformed a conversation with a direct report who was relocating. Nervous at first, the employee explained the situation. Ferguson listened carefully, noting that the individual didn’t want to quit but was unsure of their options. A remote work arrangement was the answer, benefiting the company and the employee. The meeting could have ended in a resignation; instead, it ended with a mutually beneficial solution.
“I could have lost a key employee on my team when her husband accepted a job in another state, and the organization would have lost historical and practical knowledge of content, event execution and curriculum development,” Ferguson says.
During periods of uncertainty—whether caused by business transitions, personal issues, economic downturns, or social disruptions—empathetic leadership becomes even more crucial to the long-term success of the organization. Instead of ignoring when employees are anxious, distracted, grieving, or frustrated, empathetic leaders acknowledge the emotions and create strategies to reduce stress and regain focus. This support leads to greater employee resilience, increased engagement, and a willingness to persevere through challenges. Companies that promote people-first solutions will not only retain talent but also maintain productivity and innovation, even in the face of adversity.
Why is Empathy Important in the Workplace?
Empathy is a critical leadership strategy that fosters employee engagement, innovation, and long-term business success. Consider the following results of a Catalyst survey of 900 employees across a variety of industries:
- Higher employee engagement: 76% of people with highly empathic senior leaders say they are “often or always” engaged, compared to 32% of people with less empathic senior leaders.
- Increased innovation: 61% of people with highly empathic senior leaders say they are “often or always” innovative at work compared to only 13% of people with less empathic leaders.
- Lower levels of burnout: While a majority of Arab, Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latine women reported feeling workplace burnout, those with highly empathic senior leaders were less likely to report high levels of general workplace burnout (54%) than those with less empathic senior leaders (67%)
It’s clear that employees thrive in workplaces where leaders demonstrate genuine care and understanding. Empathy also plays a key role in diversity and inclusion efforts, somewhat mitigating the stress that underrepresented individuals face in the workplace. Empathetic leaders create a better workplace environment for all employees, regardless of background or experience.
Practical Examples of Empathy in the Workplace
Empathy involves more than understanding another person’s emotions. Leaders must act in meaningful ways to help employees balance personal concerns and work obligations. Otherwise, expressions of empathy and concern will appear hollow and inauthentic. Here are five ways that leaders can demonstrate authentic empathy in the workplace:
- Inclusive Communication. One of the best ways to demonstrate authentic empathy is through inclusive listening. When you give your full attention to another person and honestly want to understand their point of view, you make them feel seen and valued. This simple action creates stronger workplace relationships and psychological safety.
- Collaborate on Meaningful Solutions. Listening to employees’ concerns and acknowledging their struggles are important but are merely the first steps. Leaders must show that they are trustworthy by helping employees resolve their challenges. If workers report that they are struggling to manage a heavy workload, leaders can delay or cancel lower priority objectives. Or they might bring in contract workers or extend timelines.
- Providing Mental Health and Wellness Resources. Workplace stress can have profound effects on mental health, and leaders can demonstrate empathy by normalizing conversations about burnout and work-life balance. Leaders can offer mental health support—from personal time off to information about the company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP)—but sometimes an employee just needs someone to talk to. It’s important to listen with empathy and ask how you can help.
- Flexible Work Arrangements. It’s common for employees to face challenges outside of work, whether caregiving responsibilities, health challenges, or other personal stressors. Flexible work arrangements are a tangible way for leaders to show empathy and help employees balance their personal and professional lives. Offering remote work options, hybrid schedules or adjusted hours also demonstrates that an organization values workplace well-being.
- Showing Appreciation and Recognition. Leaders can also demonstrate empathy when their team is performing well. To acknowledge high-quality work or the end of a challenging project, leaders should offer both personal and public recognition, whether through handwritten notes, team shoutouts, or bonuses. Acknowledging these efforts boosts employee engagement and reinforces a sense of purpose.
Make Empathy a Leadership Priority
Leaders set the tone for the organization’s culture. In “Agile Leadership for a Digital World,” Melissa Henley encourages executives to practice empathy for better business results. She writes that “reaching out, being authentic, encouraging transparency — those are all ways to help your team members feel psychologically safe.”
The path forward is clear: Invest in employees’ well-being, take meaningful action, and make empathy an integral part of leadership. By doing so, organizations will not only retain top talent but also create a thriving, inclusive, and productive work culture.
Companies with flourishing cultures—ones that encourage inclusive leadership and exhibit appreciation for employees—outperform those with unremarkable cultures time and time again. To learn how empathetic leaders build strong workplace relationships, watch The Power of Connection: How to Grow Engagement Through Manager-Employee Relationships. The free, in-demand webinar explores how leaders can foster employee engagement and improve team performance. For more information on Employee Engagement Strategies, contact us about custom solutions to transform your organization.
Amber Keister is a Content Strategist at The Diversity Movement. She has spent more than 20 years as a journalist for publications throughout the South. Connect with her on Linkedin.
