Empathy is an important piece of the social development pie. The person who can’t express empathy for others isn’t emotionally well-rounded. When you don’t try to internalize another person’s emotional experience and respond with kindness, you can become selfish and self-centered.
Those qualities could lead to fewer healthy relationships and even a lack of success on the job.
Empathy in the workplace is sometimes difficult. You might have coworkers that are hard to get along with. Showing empathy for those people can be tough.
For so many reasons though, being empathetic is a great way to advance your career. Here’s why.
Empathetic People Show That They’re Team Players
You have to have a degree of selflessness to be empathetic. When you display this quality, you show your boss that you’re willing to help out. Empathy means not only understanding the emotions of another person, but also reaching out to help.
Business owners and managers love employees who display this characteristic of excellent teamwork.
Customers Want Sympathy and Action
A bad customer experience requires action. It’s not enough to listen to your customer moan and groan about something that went wrong. You need to really try and understand where they’re coming from emotionally. Then you fix the problem.
Keeping customers happy is important in so many jobs. There aren’t too many careers that allow you to ignore an upset customer. Your bosses and your clients appreciate when your appropriate empathetic response solves a customer service problem.
Practicing Empathy Means You’re Listening And Paying Attention
Some employees keep their heads down and just do their jobs. They may be very good at handling their responsibilities. They might always do what’s expected of them, and little else.
If you want a consistent paycheck, job security and not much more, that’s fine. If you’re a person that always strives to move up the corporate ladder, that attitude isn’t going to get the job done.
You have to pay attention to everything going on around you at your workplace if you want to get ahead. You can spot opportunities to practice empathy and help others, and you also show your boss that you’re a good listener.
Listening is a vital leadership skill. Empathetic people are great listeners. Listening to others and paying attention on the job are a couple of skills that can help you advance in your career.
Empathy on the job is important. You’ll find that you get along with your coworkers better when you display empathy. You show the company owner or manager you have skills necessary for helping the business succeed. You’ll also find that advancing in the workplace is much more likely when you display empathy at work.
