The founder of the world’s digital empathy library says empathic skills are disappearing in the U.S. at an alarming rate. Roman Krznaric, author of Empathy: Why It Matters, and How to Get It, says the ability to empathize “seems to be in free fall.”
Few industries focus on recruiting empathic employees. Krznaric says a deficit of empathy carries profound implications. Soaring rates of online abuse, the growth of wealthy enclaves and a business world that discounts the benefits of empathetic workers are all contributing to an empathy deficit in the workplace.
These trends are troublesome on two fronts. First, a lack of expressed empathy in the workplace burdens employees with the feeling that they do not matter. It lowers morale. It also allows unhealthy conflicts to simmer when management takes a hands-off approach.
Secondly, CEOs recruited for their cold-blooded decision making abilities are reshaping the workplace in what many believe is the wrong direction.
There are ways to encourage the expressions of empathy in every workplace. With very few exceptions, people all have the capacity to empathize with their coworkers. Managers should lead the way through both example and training materials that encourage workers and managers to respond empathically to coworkers and underlings.
Training workers to be empathic is imperative, says Krznaric. We couldn’t agree more!