The Benefits of Compassion at Work
“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” -Albert Schweitzer
Compassion, unlike empathy and sympathy, involves providing some help, not just acknowledging the other individual’s suffering. Primarily, you are moved by another individual’s pain and suffering enough that you attempt to alleviate it in some way.
As a result, compassion strengthens the degree of connectedness helping unite an organization. Great outcomes directly relate to the degree of social cohesion that individuals, teams, and cross-functional units achieve.
“May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”
You can, therefore, look at compassion as a form of social glue – a substance that holds us tightly together.
Every expression of compassion has three components:
· The cognitive component – “I understand your problems”
· The emotional component – “I feel what you feel”
· The motivational component – “I want to help you out of this”
Compassion leads individuals to look beyond their own needs, to see and feel the pain and suffering in others, and to act to alleviate it.
Organizations that operate with compassion have people with greater job satisfaction and less stress. Workplace compassion also promotes employee engagement, dedication, and loyalty. People who work together with compassion are more likely to cooperate and help each other out.
Focusing on workplace compassion encourages healthy and productive working relationships. It allows people to recognize and appreciate others sincerely, and work to benefit the organization instead of just themselves.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
– Aesop
Compassion involves an authentic desire to help others that elicits a positive emotional response in both parties. It is reciprocal and contagious. As others either experience or observe compassionate acts, they will, in turn, act in kind.
When we treat ourselves and others compassionately, we tend to come together in a manner that raises the group to greater heights.
About the Author
Steve has over 40 years of experience in leading and managing complex projects, programs, and organizations, I am passionate about helping organizations and people thrive together. As the Head of Professional Services at PeopleProductive, he oversees the delivery of innovative solutions that enable organizations to outperform while their people thrive. Steve helps organizations flourish in the digital age by mastering the human side of business.