Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 11

9 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11 nearly half (48%) have left a job because they didn’t feel like they belonged. The difficulty of connecting with colleagues has resulted in more than a third (37%) of employees leaving their organization. Benefits to leading with empathy A staggering 89% of employees agree that empathy leads to better leadership. In fact, 88% feel that empathetic leadership inspires positive change within the workplace, and 87% say that it enables trust among employees and leaders. Additionally, 85% report that empathetic leadership in the workplace increases productivity among employees. Beyond improving employee satisfaction and decreasing turnover rates, there are tangible business benefits to prioritizing empathy in the workplace. According to the survey, benefits are plenty, since employees agree that mutual empathy between leaders and employees increases: • Efficiency (87%) • Creativity (87%) • Innovation (86%) • Company revenue (81%) Looking ahead: empathy in 2021 and beyond Unquestionably, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in myriad personal and professional challenges, and the ability to have honest conversations in the workplace is crucial. More than eight in ten (85%) employees say that it’s important for organizations to cultivate a climate in which diverse perspectives are valued. However, about a third (30%) of employees are not comfortable advocating for cultural changes within their organization, and one-in-four (26%) do not feel comfortable raising ethical concerns. Top initiatives that would help employees feel more comfortable having open discussions with a boss include: • Having regularly scheduled one-on-ones (45%) • Providing opportunities to give anonymous feedback (42%) • Participating in team-building exercises (37%) • Receiving frequent reminders that they’re in a safe space to have open discussions (36%) • Participating in training/communication workshops about having open discussions (36%) OPENING L INES