The power of empathy in times of crisis and beyond (2nd edition)

In recent years, there has been a great deal of discussion about the importance of empathy in the workplace. Empathy helps bond colleagues together and forms the foundation of a resilient and inclusive workplace. Although it is often underestimated as a business skill, our findings suggest that empathy skills are a business imperative and essential to success in the future of work. It is important for organizational leaders to know the following about empathy: it is possible to cultivate and develop empathy; there are three aspects of empathy: cognitive (head/thinking), affective (heart/feeling), and behavioral (action/doing); and empathy is linked to many positive outcomes that teams can leverage to become more agile and innovative in times of crises.

Catalyst surveyed nearly 900 US employees working across industries to understand the effects of empathic leadership on their experiences at work, and we found that empathy is an important driver of employee outcomes such as innovation, engagement, and inclusion—especially in times of crisis or rapid change. Women from marginalized racial and ethnic groups experience less burnout when they have more empathic senior leaders. Additionally, senior leader empathy is linked to employee retention. Empathic leaders respect employee life circumstances, or the feelings of being respected and valued across gender, race, and ethnicity. Empathic leadership is a key driver of inclusive workplaces that support employees’ work and life needs. Being intentional and taking the time to connect with team members to understand their experiences and show care and concern is critical to inclusion, retention, and other positive employee experiences, especially for women of color. Creating a culture of empathy can help your team weather disruptions and can also encourage more human and equitable interactions and policies at all times.

How to cite: Van Bommel, T. (2025). The power of empathy in times of crisis and beyond (2nd edition). Catalyst. (2021).