How to cultivate empathy at work in 6 steps

Do you know how to cultivate empathy in the workplace? Developing this skill is essential for managing relationships. 

Empathy, in short, is the art of putting yourself in someone else's shoes. From there, you can feel their pain, see their difficulties from a different perspective and change your judgments, as well as identify the best way to act. 

In an age full of self-centered and selfish people, having empathy is an essential quality for maintaining healthy relationships. 

To know How to cultivate empathy in the workplace It is also essential to maintain harmony within the team.

However, the benefits of this practice go far beyond that. In today’s text, you will discover how to develop this quality in 6 simple steps. 

Don't miss it! 

Post index:

• What is empathy?
• What does it mean to have empathy at work?
• How to cultivate empathy at work?
• 1. Know how to listen;
• 2. Judge less;
• 3. Encourage non-violent communication;
• 4. Respect differences;
• 5. Do not engage in gossip;
• 6. Be truly willing to be an empathetic person;
• Conclusion.

What is empathy?

According to the Google Dictionary, empathy is: 

Ability to emotionally understand an object…

Ability to project one's personality onto an object, so that it appears to be imbued with one's personality...

In our social context, having empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes to the point of sympathizing with their pain and difficulties. 

Furthermore, it is understanding the pain of others and their struggles, even if they are completely different from our own, in some cases even contrary. 

By putting ourselves in someone else's shoes, we can see the best way to act in certain situations. 

This is because we realize how we would like to be treated if we were in the same circumstances.

With this socio-emotional skill We can feel the pain of others, but without losing the perception that it is the other person's pain. 

What does it mean to have empathy at work?

Empathy in the workplace is closely linked to the ability to understand and respect the other person’s point of view. 

In addition, it also refers to the ability to understand the emotions, actions and limitations of coworkers, leaders, managers and also customers. 

Empathy is not a feeling, in fact, it is a socio-emotional skills (term already mentioned above). 

This means that it goes beyond cognitive abilities. It involves more of the emotional and psychological field of the human being. 

It is worth noting that to be an empathetic person it is very important to have emotional intelligence. 

In the workplace, both are essential for managing relationships and overcoming the challenges posed by coexistence and divergence of ideas, as well as distinct thoughts and behaviors. 

An empathetic professional knows how to relate better to people, work as a team and encourage mutual collaboration. 

Furthermore, this skill is essential in communication and also in interaction and engagement in the organizational environment. 

It's no wonder that empathy is a soft skill highly desired by organizations. If you don't consider yourself an empathetic person, don't worry!

It is possible to easily develop this skill. Keep reading and find out how!

How to cultivate empathy at work? 

Empathy is an essential piece to connect professionals with different realities, not only in the professional sphere, but also in the personal sphere. 

With this connection, different people can come together, communicate better and identify with each other.

This way, everyone benefits, especially the company’s productivity.

Leaders and managers have a huge responsibility in this regard. They must set real examples of empathy for their employees and make it part of the organizational culture. 

As a result, professionals feel that their emotions, limitations and challenges are understood. 

This way, they will use the same coin with their coworkers, like a positive herd or domino effect. 

Check out the tips for developing empathy at work. 

1. Know how to listen

Knowing how to listen is an important characteristic for those who seek how to cultivate empathy at work. 

With active and attentive listening you can understand what the other person is going through, from there you can understand, comprehend and know how to act. 

2. Judge less

Instead of judging, try to understand and offer help. It will certainly do you a lot of good! 

Judging is a natural human impulse, but, as a passage from the Bible says: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” 

With empathy, we learn to treat others as we would like to be treated if we were in the same situation. So, think: would you like to be judged if you were in the same situation?

People have different realities than us, challenges, struggles, problems and motivations. Furthermore, they are inserted in different environments than us outside of work. 

Therefore, they may exhibit different behaviors, even involuntarily. By offering help instead of judging, you are certainly breaking down a huge barrier. 

3. Encourage non-violent communication

Did you know that there are needs behind attitudes? How these needs are met can be decisive in emotions. 

Having empathy is understanding the emotions of others, knowing and listening and using a communication and approach non-violent It is very important to know what the other person is going through and to be able to help. 

Nonviolent communication is essential to resolve or avoid conflicts between professionals. 

Other than that, it is still a key piece to humanize communication and promote empathy in the workplace. 

4. Respect differences

A company's teams bring together people with different opinions, levels of knowledge, interpretations, motivations, different behaviors, etc. 

Knowing how to respect differences is a characteristic of an empathetic person. Respecting does not mean agreeing.

Respect is understanding that others have the right to disagree with you, to have different opinions and to express them, just as you want to express yours. 

Considering differences is a skill that can be learned daily, you can start by avoiding imposing your standards on others and by identifying your prejudices and abandoning them.

5. Don't get involved in gossip

Gossip is a harmful tool for team harmony and unity. A person who has the habit of gossiping in the company corridors will hardly be able to cultivate empathy at work, it becomes contradictory. 

When rumors reach you, don't pass them on. Also, don't let that person feel comfortable bringing gossip to you. 

Use non-violent language to tell him that you are not interested in the gossip. 

6. Be willing to be an empath

Talking is very easy, but putting it into practice can be more complicated, especially when you have habits of judging and gossiping about colleagues, for example. 

However, it's all about changing your behavior, attitude and thoughts. To do this, exercise your emotional intelligence. 

It is important for those who want to discover how to cultivate empathy at work. This is because it helps us deal with our emotions and weaknesses. 

Furthermore, it helps us understand the feelings, emotions and weaknesses of others. 

Conclusion

Certainly, having empathy in the world we live in is essential, no matter the area. Therefore, follow these tips in all your relationships and become an empathetic person. 

In fact, this is a transferable skill and can accompany you in any career, position or profession. 

Read the text and see other examples of🔜 skillthetransferable. 

Nara Sampaio July 14, 2022