Empathizing with your Employees: How to Lead in Times of Uncertainty
In more ways than one, the current coronavirus pandemic has changed employee’s daily lives and conduct. New strategies for adapting to the current situation were installed in a matter of weeks and days, and, amid this uncertainness, employees had to transition to remote work seamlessly while maintaining and successfully delivering on critical deadlines.
Because there are no blueprints from the past, leaders must use empathy while operating in this pandemic both in the short and long-term. Leading with empathy can help de-stress employees and create new ways of working and collaborating despite the fear and uncertainty.
Leading with empathy leaves a positive mark on employees, especially in times of crisis. Defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, being empathic allows you, as a leader, to validate your employee’s feelings. The goal is to show that your entire team is in this together and will work towards the same mission. While everyone’s experience of adapting and staying resilient may differ, acknowledging their specific fears allows for a stronger relationship.
Leaders are already intrinsically motivated to help their team but having that genuine care when the chips are down separates good leaders from great ones. Here are a few ways to lead with empathy:
Define Boundaries – Separating your work and home spheres is an integral measure that many employees take to sustain their mental health. However, in the transition to remote work, that got thrown out of the window. Leaders should take this time to become a resource for their team and make concessions to allow employees to juggle between the new work experience and home life
Practice Active Listening – Listen to understand rather than immediately respond. Take the time to let your employees know that you understand the struggles they are going through. Body language and verbal cues (even on video) will show your employees that you can empathize with their challenges while not going through the same issues. Don’t hesitate to also share your own challenges
Maintain Connectedness and Keep that Sense of Community – Many examples of achieving an inclusive community includes virtual happy hours, doing a quick tour of your workspace, sharing recipes, and workout tips. It is imperative to create spaces where employees can have informal conversations and connect on another level. Showing your employees that you are there for them during these troubling times leads to higher retention rates and a greater sense of community in the long run. If anything, building up these practices to support your employees now may prove to be a fruitful investment, as COVID-19 and remote work have no specific end date
4. Build skills in leading amid uncertainty – As a leader, try to learn and grow from this new experience and develop practical skills on how to lead a team through empathy in a remote workspace. How we empathize and draw attention to problems will help build a foundation for leaders. Practice what you preach and lead by example, but make sure that there are still areas for personal development. You are a leader but understanding how to lead with empathy is a new challenge; be able to make mistakes and learn from them. This time is for you to grow as well
5. Be a compassionate leader – Leadership starts with showing your employees that they are not alone. While your experiences may differ, being open with your emotions sets an example. These actions show your employees that they do not have to stifle their feelings and lead to meaningful discussions on working through this pandemic. Challenges like the COVID-19 crisis are crafting and shaping the new wave of remote leaders. Use the skills you already have and be open to learning new methods for empathizing with your employees. We are truly in an unprecedented era faced with new challenges. Use your leadership to build healthy practices and create model behaviors for the rest of your team to incorporate into their daily lives. Your team will emerge stronger than before, and that all starts at the top. Leaders’ actions through an empathetic approach will transform your remote workforce into an unbreakable force.
