Guest: Liesel Mertes, Workplace Empathy Consultant & Founder @ Handle w/ Care Consulting

Liesel covered a ton in a short amount of time! Here’s the TLDW;
(or you could just hit play!)

Liesel provides tactical takeaways to allow leaders to put their learnings into action.
In this session, she'll work through why empathy is important to the business and how to start or continue building empathy into the work culture.
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Importance of Empathy in Workplace:
Empathy significantly impacts turnover, productivity, and employee satisfaction.
Studies show positive effects of empathetic leadership, yet some executives remain hesitant.

Barriers to Creating an Empathetic Workplace:
-Lack of leadership buy-in and continuity hinder empathy promotion efforts.
-Cultural perceptions limit understanding of empathy as a skill that can be developed.
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Initiating Conversations about Empathy:
-Conduct audits on existing policies like bereavement leave to identify areas for improvement.
-Encourage discussions about personal experiences and pain points related to empathy at work.
-Implement practices like stoplight check-ins during meetings to foster open communication.

What Not to Say:
-Avoid minimizing or comparative statements like “at least” in response to someone’s hardships.
-Refrain from immediately offering solutions without first understanding the person’s needs or feelings.

Workshop on Empathy:
-Liesl’s workshop on April 18th offers practical tools and strategies for fostering empathy in the workplace.
-Participants can expect interactive learning experiences and opportunities to address taboo topics related to empathy.