If you want to be a great leader, you need to practice empathy in both your leadership strategy and your daily actions. 96% of employees agree that showing empathy is a crucial way to advance employee retention, according to Forbes. But the same article found that 92% of CEOs feel their organization is empathetic, but only 50% of their employees say their CEO is empathetic.

Due to ongoing change within our work environment, the way your organization handles this disconnect will make or break your future.

Learn the 7 ways that practicing empathetic leadership makes a difference in your workplace:

1) Create Transparency

Empathetic leaders know their team wants to understand who they work for. Transparency in your leadership will, in turn, encourage transparency from your team.

Try implementing this by owning mistakes, taking moments to reflect on complaints, and sharing with your team how you’re trying to improve. Your core values are a vital tool to lead with and need to be seen in the day-to-day operations of your organization.

2) Practice Better Communication

When employees feel understood, they become more engaged and open. This will lead to great things for your company (more on this below).

Your team needs to be able to access you easily; if there’s a distance between leadership and direct reports, how can you understand their daily struggles with performance?

3) DISC-Style-Team-Comparison

Even if a distance is only perceived — it’s going to have an impact on communication. One of the ways to help bridge that gap is to use XQ Innovation’s behavioral assessments with your entire team.

XQ Innovation’s assessments help employees understand themselves and their co-workers better. They give your team a shared language to empathize and communicate issues with each other.

4) Increase Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is critical for your organization’s future. Did you know that employee disengagement translates to a profit loss of 34% of the disengaged employee’s annual salary? No one can afford that loss. Leaders need to take a genuine interest in their employee’s emotional wellbeing and working conditions.

5) Develop a Talent Attracting Workplace

Many businesses believe that workplace perks like flexible scheduling, snacks in the office, or bringing pets are what younger workers are looking for — read more on how quick fixes to company culture fail. While these can’t hurt, what workers actually want is a purpose to their work.

If you want to attract and retain top talent, your organization needs to make empathy and diversity a priority now. According to CNBC, 86% of millennials would consider taking a pay cut to work at a company whose values and mission align with their own.

Be vocal about your company culture and professional beliefs, but make sure to highlight those beliefs in a genuine way, not attention-seeking.

6) Help Your Team Maintain Their Work/Life Balance

Tap into your empathy to understand what’s driving your team. More and more people are coming to realizations about their work lives; 60% of employees fault lousy bosses for the most negative impact on work-life balance, according to PCMA.

Truly understanding what your team needs to perform will create loyalty. Are expectations reasonable for your most recent projects? Can a deadline ever be extended? Does your organization have access to the resources and support they need?

By extending grace and not demanding off-the-clock commitments, your team gets to refresh, recharge, and return to work re-engaged.

7) Get a Better Handle On Managing Crisis

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that businesses need to practice agility and take care of their people. There are going to be winners and losers coming out of this year, and it’s becoming clear who is who as time progresses.

Empathetic leaders are going to pave the way in the modern world of work. Companies that ignore the human element of their organizations and lousy working conditions can’t thrive in the new climate.

Take The Next Step

We know leaders, especially during this time, have a challenging role. Do you want to become the empathetic leader your team needs? XQ Innovation can help.

Contact us to learn more about how you can best utilize this process.

About XQ Innovation:

XQ Innovation helps organizations of all sizes get a deeper understanding of the people your company depends on. Alongside custom-tailored employee optimization programs for clients, we create a path for better results and resiliency. From assessment to training to coaching, no two XQ programs are alike. At XQ Innovation, they find the science behind your organization.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call XQ Innovation at (855) 944-4411 or email info@xqinnovation.com

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Company Name: XQ Innovation
Contact Person: Cyrus Kennedy
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Phone: (855) 944-4411
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Website: www.xqinnovation.com