Bridging Empathy Gap: How Does it Help with Diversity and Inclusion?

By Moon Harper

Mar 06, 2024 05:05 AM EST

To advance towards a fair and equitable workplace, managers and staff must demonstrate empathy, a vital skill often overlooked. Understanding others' experiences is essential for fostering greater organizational diversity and inclusion. Thus, cultivating an empathetic attitude is a must-have.

Is Empathy Enough?

Empathy goes beyond mirroring emotions; simply sharing someone's emotions, known as social empathy, can harm well-being. Assuming the same emotional state as someone angry or upset may not lead to a resolution but rather result in two individuals feeling distressed without addressing the underlying issue.

Rather than simply sharing emotions, empathic concern involves actively listening and offering practical assistance to those facing challenges. This approach is linked to higher well-being and is more effective. When supporting minority colleagues, it is essential to consider whether the assistance provided leads to meaningful and lasting change or merely serves as a temporary fix. Superficial gestures of empathy followed by a return to the status quo may be more detrimental than not listening at all, as they can falsely raise expectations for meaningful change.

The Downsides of Empathy as A Strategy

While empathy is important, is it sufficient for companies to promote understanding among their employees and stop there? For instance, numerous companies shared Black Lives Matter content on social media, but is this merely performative allyship? Is it a mere display of support without any substantial changes in how the company conducts its business or treats its staff?

A smaller group of companies proactively engaged with their employees, solicited their feedback, and took concrete actions in response. These actions included hiring diversity and inclusion experts to conduct unconscious bias workshops or arranging for specialists to deliver anti-racism training and facilitate discussions. While these efforts are commendable, they must be supplemented by a genuine commitment to thoroughly examine the organization's inner workings, policies, and procedures and to implement lasting changes.

Some companies seem unprepared to engage in empathetic discussions. Once, a black employee openly shared her views on race with her boss, only to be fired later when they disagreed. While the intention behind the conversation was empathy-driven, clear and non-negotiable guidelines must be in place to ensure the safety of employees who choose to share their feelings. Otherwise, those who express their sentiments may find themselves at serious risk.

Why is Management Empathy Essential?

Remote work has largely benefited employees, but employers' persistent push for a return to the office suggests a disconnect in priorities. For leaders, remote work introduces challenges like proximity bias and concerns about productivity.

In a landscape where business leaders lack constant oversight of employee activities, CEOs require empathy to navigate and excel in a flexible work environment. Moreover, workplace empathy facilitates meaningful connections between employees and leaders, fostering trust and nurturing robust relationships. This change must begin with top-level leaders, who must set the tone for the entire organization's empathetic culture.

How HR Can Bridge Empathy Gaps?

Workplace empathy is essential for leaders at all levels, from managers to the C-suite, as a lack of empathy can leave employees feeling unheard, leading to increased turnover and disengagement, such as quiet quitting.

Here is how HR can help close the empathy gap and keep employees motivated, satisfied, and understood.

Consider empathy training: Empathy is a skill that can be learned and enhanced with practice. Hosting an annual empathy training workshop can benefit both leaders and employees.
Embrace flexibility: While 96% of employees value flexible working hours, only 39% of organizations offer them, according to a report by Businesssolver. Providing flexibility communicates understanding and support for employees' personal lives.
Combat empathy fatigue: People leaders may experience empathy fatigue from constantly caring for others. It's important to be mindful of emotional capacity and practice self-care to maintain empathy while prioritizing mental health.