For a thriving workplace, build empathy��—��author

Empathy is not an optional soft skill in the workplace, according to Jamil Zaki, professor of psychology at Stanford University and author of.��Citing several studies, he said that empathy leads to effective collaboration, increased morale, reduced stress, more effective feedback, and a more inclusive attitude.����

“Empathy begins when we stop making assumptions and start asking questions,” he said in a July webinar on����organized by video conferencing platform Zoom.����

The most effective teams, he added, are characterized not just by the sum of their parts, but also by the presence of psychological safety (the feeling that each individual has a voice in the room) and interpersonal sensitivity (having the ability to pick out what others are feeling).����

‘PAUSE AND REFRESH’��
, a business process outsourcing company, has been working towards fostering an environment of trust through its creation of a wellness and resilience team (separate from human resources). It has also incorporated vulnerability as part of its leadership training.����

“We ask our leaders��to share with their team the struggles they face��and the emotions they experience,” Vina D. Paglicawan, director of wellness and resiliency,��told������ý��in an e-mail interview. “In turn, we see employees become more trusting and willing to take greater risks and ask for help when needed.”����

In a separate e-mail interview, Janessa C. Tek-ing, associate business director of the��agency, described compassion’s relationship with productivity.������

“We roll up our sleeves and deliver results — but we don’t treat each other like robots,” she said. “Our productivity isn’t only measured by the work that we do, but how passionate we are while doing it as a team. We get more things done when we know that our teammates are behind us.” ��

Breaks offset the psychological cost of working hard, and leaders can make it clear that taking��. “Employees can take their vacation leaves without having to worry about the work they left because we all need time to hit pause and refresh,” said Ms. Tek-ing. ��

To this point, Mr. Zaki said that self-compassion is not selfish: “Being there for ourselves is the only way to be there for other people sustainably.” —��Patricia B. Mirasol��

SIDEBAR | How to practice empathy��

Balancing the scale of perspective getting (asking about someone’s reality) and perspective giving (sharing one’s reality) improves understanding, builds rapport, and balances the empathic scale at work.����

Here’s how companies can practice empathy at work, according to Jamil Zaki, professor of psychology at Stanford University and author of��The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World:��

• Invite people to share stories. Ensure they feel��safe doing so.����
• Ask yourself: what did I learn in this conversation that I didn’t know before?����
• Go beyond listening and show your team how you��followed through��on what they shared.��