15/2/2016 TheImportanceofEmpathyintheWorkplace|ArkadinBlog

The
Importance
of Empathy
in the
Workplace
JAN 29, 2016 BY SOPHIE
HUSS

When we think of the

denitions of success in business protability, stock price, brand recognition
we think in terms of numbers. But whats behind the facts and gures? The
answer is relationships with customers and with employees. And the key to
success in relationships is empathy.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share another persons feelings by

imagining what it would be like to be in that persons situation. It is not the
same as sympathy.Sympathy means feeling pity or sorrow for someone elses
misfortune. Both are noble sentiments. But empathy is harder: it requires you
to be able to put yourself in another persons shoes and to act upon what
you feel.

Whether were listening to a colleague propose a disruptive idea, elding a

question from a client, or negotiating with a partner across the globe, we
wont get far without the ability to see the situation from their perspective.
This empathy enables us to envision innovative, personalized solutions that
might never have occurred to us otherwise. And the rewards are multiple:
youll enjoy greater business success while growing a network of coworker
and customer relationships you can count on.

Industry visionaries like Virgin Groups Richard Branson understand the value
of empathy: In business companies that want to surviveare smart enough
to know that caring and cooperation are key. These soft skills are a direct
line to business success. He adds, Employing people from dierent

http://blog.arkadin.com/en/theimportanceofempathyintheworkplace/ 1/3
15/2/2016 TheImportanceofEmpathyintheWorkplace|ArkadinBlog

backgrounds and who have various skills, viewpoints and personalities will
help you to spot opportunities, anticipate problems and come up with original
solutions before your competitors do.

Empathy builds both customer and colleague satisfaction

In todays business world, empathy is essential for winning customer loyalty.

Star marketers always say Know your audience. Today, that audience isnt a
monolithic market segment or demographic its a diverse, multilingual,
socially connected, global group of individuals, each with something dierent
to say. To reach them, you must listen closely, put yourself in their place, and
ask What problem can I solve for this particular person? By making sure your
products or services answer that question, you create long-term relationships
with customers (and reap the benets when they share their satisfaction with
their networks).

Expressing empathy in the workplace demonstrates your respect for

coworkers and shows that you care about them as people, not just as assets.
An empathic leader can transform a group of individuals into a team and
increase productivity, morale and loyalty. Rather than promoting a corrosive
level of competition among employees, well-liked and respected executives
foster a collaborative spirit throughout the organization. When people sense
that management empathizes with them, they are motivated and inspired to
give their all.

Empathy: the great equalizer

As in any relationship, the key ingredients are respect and communication.

That doesnt leave much room for big egos, and thats the idea. In a study
fromCatalyst, described inJeanine Prime and Elizabeth SalibsHarvard
Business ReviewBlog, researchers found that the more humility (and empathy)
employees observed in their managers, the more engaged they felt. Lazlo
Bock, Googles Senior Vice President of People Operations, believes that
without intellectual humility and openness to the contributions of others, you
are unable to learn.

This millennium has introduced buzzwords that change the way we do

business from e-commerce (IT rules!) to ethical trade (dont exploit people!)
to empathy (listen and learn!). Its a variation on the golden rule treat others
the way you want to be treated, and try to see the world through their eyes.
While the concept may be more abstract than traditional signs of success, the
payo is real just ask billionaire Richard Branson.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Sophie Huss
Sophie Huss is the Global Director of Talent Sourcing & Training at Arkadin where
she heads up key recruitment initiatives, including corporate referral programs
and digital HR strategies aimed at locating and attracting new talents. In large
part, Sophies responsibilities involve dening the companys Employer Brand,
communicated through a multi-channel approach, nurturing a talent pipeline and
dening HR recruitment standards & processes at a group level. Previously
Arkadins Global Director of Marketing & Communications, Sophie has more than
25 years of strategic and operational marketing experience across multiple
industries in a variety of geographic markets. In her prior role, Sophie was
instrumental in the launch of new products & services, notably Arkadins suite of
Unied Communications & Collaboration oers.

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