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Building Empathy: The Foundation of a Thriving Organisation


As businesses continue to evolve to meet the challenges of a post-pandemic world, empathy has emerged as a cornerstone of effective leadership and workplace culture. More than a buzzword, empathy in the workplace fosters collaboration, boosts engagement, and creates environments where employees feel valued and understood. Drawing on survey results from Nigel Wright Group’s research across employers and employees in Europe, this article explores the critical role of empathy in shaping organisational success.

We will delve into the specific actions organisations are taking, how these initiatives are received, the outcomes achieved, and the challenges to implementing empathy-led strategies. This insight aims to equip organisations with the tools they need to create an empathetic, thriving workplace in 2025.

Actions Taken to Build Empathy

The employer survey highlights several key initiatives that organisations are leveraging to foster empathy. The most common action, implemented by 89% of employers, is offering mental health support and resources. Encouraging work-life balance follows closely with 82% of organisations prioritising this approach. Creating a supportive and inclusive work environment (78%) and providing space for giving and receiving feedback (72%) were also identified as significant steps towards creating a culture of empathy.

From the employee perspective, encouraging work-life balance emerged as the top priority, with 62% of respondents recognising this as a key driver of empathy. Creating opportunities to give and receive feedback (60%) and mental health support (57%) also showed alignment with employer efforts. However, only 29% of employees felt that empathy training for managers and active listening workshops were adequately implemented, suggesting a gap in leadership development.

Actions that demonstrate empathy graph

These results underscore the need for a comprehensive approach that combines systemic support with personalised actions. Organisations can amplify their impact by equipping leaders with empathy training while ensuring employees have access to mental health resources, inclusive practices, and platforms for open dialogue. Empathy-driven strategies should also be reinforced through storytelling, where leaders highlight real examples of empathy transforming team dynamics and individual experiences.

Valuing Empathy Initiatives

Empathy initiatives are overwhelmingly valued by employees, with 95% rating them as either “highly valued” (38%) or “valued” (50%). This data reflects the growing expectation among workers for organisations to prioritise emotional intelligence and compassionate leadership.

When asked how these initiatives made them feel, employees reported increased engagement (78%) as the most significant outcome. 63% of respondents reported improved team collaboration and enhanced job satisfaction, highlighting the broad-reaching impact of empathy-driven policies. However, only 31% noted a reduction in absenteeism, suggesting that while empathy improves the emotional and social dynamics of the workplace, its effects on attendance may require further targeted efforts.

How empathetic initiatives make employees feel graph

These findings indicate that embedding empathy into workplace culture is not just a “nice to have” but a critical driver of engagement and retention. By demonstrating authentic care for employees’ well-being, organisations can foster loyalty and commitment while enhancing team dynamics. To further drive these benefits, employers might explore embedding empathy metrics into regular performance reviews, ensuring it remains an integral focus for leaders and teams.

Overcoming Challenges to Building Empathy

Despite the clear benefits of empathy-driven initiatives, organisations face several hurdles in their implementation. The most significant challenge identified by 71% of employers is measuring the impact of these strategies effectively. This difficulty underscores the need for robust metrics and evaluation frameworks to assess the tangible outcomes of empathy initiatives. Additionally, a lack of resources, noted by 55%, and employee engagement issues, cited by 34%, further complicate efforts to embed empathy into workplace culture.

When examining specific outcomes, 56% of organisations reported improved team collaboration, and 60% observed increased employee engagement as a result of empathy initiatives. These figures highlight the potential for empathy-driven policies to transform interpersonal dynamics and foster a more cohesive work environment. However, only 10% of organisations reported a significant increase in productivity, suggesting that while empathy strengthens relationships, its direct impact on efficiency may require complementary strategies.

Employers also face challenges when planning future improvements. For instance, while many organisations intend to slightly expand training on empathy, such as teaching active listening (44%) or providing leadership development (57%), only 8% and 12% plan significant expansion in these areas, respectively. This cautious approach may limit the overall effectiveness of empathy initiatives in the long term. Encouragingly, 15% of organisations aim to significantly enhance their efforts to build supportive and inclusive environments, which could amplify the impact of existing strategies.

To overcome these barriers, organisations must adopt a dual approach. Firstly, they should prioritise comprehensive training programs for leaders and managers, equipping them with the tools to demonstrate empathy in meaningful ways. Secondly, by fostering open communication and utilising feedback from employees, companies can ensure that empathy initiatives are tailored to address the specific needs of their workforce. When employees feel heard and involved, they are more likely to embrace and support these policies, creating a cycle of engagement and improvement.

By addressing these challenges head-on, organisations can unlock the full potential of empathy as a driver of collaboration, satisfaction, and long-term success.

The Role of Employees in Shaping Empathy Policies

Employee involvement is critical to the success of empathy initiatives. The survey revealed that 72% of employers actively involve employees in the development or refinement of these policies.  Employee committees (59%) is the most common method, followed by feedback sessions (58%) and surveys and polls (58%).

Employees themselves expressed a strong desire to contribute, with 87% indicating interest in participating in these processes. Feedback sessions (93%) and pilot programs (88%) and were the most preferred avenues for involvement. This demonstrates the need for organisations to create more collaborative spaces where employees feel empowered to shape the culture of empathy.

When employees are given a voice, they are more likely to feel invested in the outcomes of these initiatives. Organisations should prioritise co-creation as a core strategy for embedding empathy into the workplace, ensuring that policies reflect the real needs and aspirations of the workforce.

Sustaining Empathy: A Continuous Effort

Embedding empathy into workplace culture is not a one-time initiative; it requires ongoing effort and refinement. Regular reviews and updates (83%) and ongoing employee feedback (76%) were identified by employers as the most effective ways to sustain empathy-driven strategies. Benchmarking against the market (55%) and investing in new resources and tools (22%) were also highlighted as important practices.

For organisations to sustain momentum, empathy must become a shared responsibility across all levels. Leaders play a critical role in modelling empathetic behaviours, while employees must be encouraged to hold each other accountable for fostering a supportive and inclusive culture. By integrating empathy into performance metrics, training programs, and day-to-day interactions, organisations can ensure it becomes an enduring part of their identity. Building empathy into onboarding processes can also create an immediate connection for new hires, embedding these values from the start.

Charting a Path Towards Empathy-Driven Success

As we move into 2025, empathy will remain a defining characteristic of successful organisations. By implementing strategies that resonate with employees, addressing challenges collaboratively, and maintaining open lines of communication, businesses can create workplaces where empathy thrives.

The journey to building an empathetic organisation is ongoing, but the rewards — higher engagement, improved collaboration, and enhanced satisfaction — are well worth the effort. In a world where emotional intelligence is increasingly valued, organisations that lead with empathy will not only attract and retain top talent but also drive innovation and growth.

By embedding empathy into the heart of their culture, organisations can create a workplace where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to succeed.

Building the Workforce of 2025: Insights on Balance, Purpose, and Empathy

You can access our full report, created from our research, discussing insights on the three main themes for building the workforce in 2025—balance, purpose, and empathy.

European Insights on Balance, Purpose, and Empathy Report

Discover actionable recommendations that can help your organisation build a workplace that thrives in 2025 and beyond through three key areas of balance, purpose and empathy.

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