What about empathy?

person holding white iPhone 5s

Remote work has given a chance to many to stay employed during the pandemic. Statistics about the workplace today are saying that remote work is here to stay. Many benefits are keeping teams productive, but there one challenge that can have a negative impact. Remote work has created a  social disconnection in many teams.

Many remote employees feel disconnected and isolated. People are missing impromptu interactions and informal gatherings from the previous workplace.  They are missing social engagements from informal conversations in the office. The best word that I can use to describe this is feeling lonely. 

What about you? What are you missing from work? What about your partner or husband or wife? What are they missing?

Craving more social connection is what makes us humans. We are social creatures that thrive when we connect with others. Sustaining social connections is more challenging in remote work, but it is possible.

Empathy is a practical tool that can help remote teams. It also provides emotional support. Empathy can help you understand that you are not the only one struggling.

How good are you at empathy at work?

Are you good at reading your coworkers?

Do you feel like your coworkers are empathic at work?

Empathy is a valuable skill that we all use to be more engaged, productive and build positive leadership. If you are an empathic person, you can read people and get them when they are in pain and struggling. This ability is a critical characteristic of emotional intelligence.

Having an emotionally intelligent remote team can be essential to create more success at work. Empathy can help remote workers with team collaboration and develop higher performing teams.

Unfortunately, empathy training is not something that we hear about in the workplace.

Empathy requires time and effort at work. Our perception of slowing down to make time to listen to people’s struggles might not be on the agenda. Understanding the needs and challenges of people requires time and skill.

But what if we made time for it? What if you start empathy training on your own?

We can all start by taking simple actions to bring more empathy to your team.

Here are three ideas to bring more empathy to your remote work.

  1. Be curious and open to other people’s points of view.
  2. Get better at active listening and communication with your remote team.
  3. Remove distractions, avoid interruptions in meetings and stay present.

One quote

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”

Oprah Winfrey

One question

How do you show your empathy at work and home?

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