Is empathy dead? No. Is it in decline? Quite possibly. Empathy is the backbone of humanity, and quite frankly, is an ESSENTIAL part of long-term care. Leaders, listen up. 

Recently, new research conducted by Catalyst found that empathy has significant constructive effects on innovation, engagement, retention, inclusivity, and work-life balance. Take a look at the findings:

1. 61% of employees with empathetic leaders reported they were more innovative compared to only 13% of employees with less empathetic leaders.
2. 76% of employees who experienced empathy from their leaders announced they were more engaged at work compared to 32% of employees who experienced less empathy.
3. Around 60% of women mentioned they were more likely to stay in the company if they felt respected and valued by their empathetic leaders and executives, versus approximately 20% of women would consider staying even if they didn’t feel respected.
4. 50% of employees with empathetic leaders found their workplace to be inclusive, compared to only 17% of employees who saw inclusivity even with employers demonstrating a lack of empathy.
5. 86% of employees with empathetic leaders reported that they had good work-life balance, compared to 60% of those who had less empathetic leaders.

Here are some tips for leaders to demonstrate empathy:

1. Take a walk in your employee’s shoes, and more often, ask yourself: “If I were in his/her position, what would I be thinking right now?” Moreover, empathetic leaders should embrace their employees’ voices and listen to their concerns.
2. Provide more mental health resources. It’s important for leaders to demonstrate what self-care looks like, and encourage employees to do the same.
3. Learn more about your staff and talk to them! How are their days going? Have they read or watched anything enjoyable recently? What are their concerns? Have they encountered any difficulties recently? Get to know them better so you can better understand what they need!

Are you an empathetic leader? Have you ever experienced an empathetic leader who impressed you a lot? Share your stories with CareStory!

REFERENCES:
Forbes
Catalyst

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