Creating Compassion-Informed Workplaces

The past three years have been a whirlwind for businesses, with the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and the ongoing war in Ukraine all taking their toll. As businesses have struggled to survive and thrive financially, they have also been tasked with helping employees navigate through painful events, both personal and professional.

In the midst of this unparalleled turmoil, it can be difficult for organizations to strike a balance between conflicting motivations, such as competitiveness, collaboration, and care. Often, leadership must face the challenge of balancing organizational needs to make a profit with the desire to care for their employees.

In my professional experience, work-life balance challenges are expected at organizational and individual levels, in which the pressures for time maximization and production are at odds with businesses' efforts to implement wellness programs. These dilemmas are not surprising in our fast-paced and competitive world, but they can lead employees to perceive their organizations as uncaring and hypocritical.

Structural pressures for time maximization and production can lead professionals to live in a state of overdrive, striving for unlimited achievement at the cost of neglecting their well-being and that of their colleagues. Given our biopsychosocial structure, having a balanced and success-driven mindset can be rewarding.

For example, financial and social rewards ignite a dopamine release cycle in the brain, leading to a sense of accomplishment and motivation. Nonetheless, a brain in overdrive may activate networks related to threat detection and protection, leading to chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout.

To that end, I invite the reader to consider career and organizational success through the lens of compassion. While compassion has been extensively researched and applied in the mental health field for over 20 years, the science and applications of compassion in occupational wellness have only recently gained attention among scholars and organizations. A growing body of research suggests that shifting career and leadership mindsets towards compassion as a social mentality can lead to greater success, personal satisfaction, organizational sustainability, and significant societal benefits.

Beyond Empathy: Compassion as a Driving Force

While no single agreed-upon definition of compassion exists, scholars have debated its meaning for centuries. In my research and clinical work, I draw on Gilbert's¹ conceptualization of compassion, which defines it as an evolutionary motivational system rooted in mammalian caregiving.

Compassion is distinct from empathy, sympathy, pity, charity, love, and kindness in that it is a "sensitivity to the suffering of self and others, with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it." Gilbert's² definition of compassion also differs from other positive emotions, such as love, in that the most complex forms of compassion are often directed towards those we do not love or even like. It is precisely in these situations, however, that compassion may be most needed.

Compassion involves sensitivity, alleviation, and prevention of suffering. In this case, suffering means any past, present, or future situation that may cause physical, emotional, and psychological distress in oneself and others. Embodying a compassionate self-identity through cultivating compassion competencies could be an antidote to hostile work environments and occupational stress.

Compassion-Informed Workplaces

Creating a compassion-informed workplace can be challenging, as it requires a shift in mindset and reevaluating existing systems and practices. One of the main challenges is overcoming the perception that compassion is a soft skill or a sign of weakness. In reality, cultivating compassion in the workplace requires strength, empathy, and a willingness to acknowledge and address the needs and struggles of employees.

Another challenge lies in breaking down the barriers of hierarchy and fostering a culture of inclusivity and psychological safety, where individuals feel comfortable expressing their emotions and seeking support without fear of judgment or reprisal. Using compassion to inform our professional lives involves:

1. Developing mindfulness of what motivates us to do our work
2. Forming meaningful connections with colleagues and leadership
3. Supporting the well-being and flourishing of self and others

What Gets You Up in the Morning?

This process starts with a curious self-reflection on what motivates us when we wake up in the morning. Consider reflecting on the following questions:

1. Are my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors based on competitive or self-enhancing mentalities? How so?
2. To what extent am I motivated to connect versus compete in the workplace? How does that show up in my behaviors?
3. If I am being kind to a colleague, is it based on caring, compassionate motives or self-serving ones? Why?
4. If I am in a leadership position, do I promote and practice open communication and active listening among my team members?

Forming Meaningful Connections

By cultivating a compassion-informed workplace, individuals and organizations are motivated to "be helpful, not harmful" to themselves and others². In other words, it goes beyond showing empathy, being "social" at work, going out for "happy hours," and exemplary teamwork. While those are great, they do not necessarily foster meaningful employee connections.

For example, if employees feel pressured to socialize at work or to attend "happy hours," and their day-to-day work environment is overstimulating, competitive, and hostile, they may think that their efforts to be helpful and supportive are in vain. Meaningful connections require a genuine and nurturing environment where individuals feel valued and respected.

Instead, promoting and practicing open communication and compassionate listening in the organizational environment is crucial as it fosters strong relationships, trust, and understanding within teams. By actively and compassionately listening to team members and encouraging them to communicate their thoughts and ideas, leaders can create an environment that values collaboration, innovation, and growth.

A great way to promote and practice open communication and compassionate listening is through holding individual and group check-in meetings with team members. This is a time to check in with them individually or in groups, see how they are doing, and discuss any challenges or concerns they may have.

During check-in meetings, it is essential that leaders and team members adopt a curious stance, exploring different perspectives without going into "fix-it mode." Some essential open communication and compassionate listening skills include:

• Encouraging team members to ask questions and seek clarification
• Being present with team members' challenges and concerns, listening mindfully and without interrupting
• Paraphrasing what you have heard to the speaker to ensure you understand their message correctly

This approach goes beyond surface-level interactions and promotes meaningful connections, contributing to a compassionate and supportive workplace. It requires a genuine commitment to fostering a positive and supportive environment.

Supporting the Well-Being and Flourishing of Self and Others

A compassion-informed workplace fosters a culture of kindness, trust, collaboration, mutual respect, and flourishing³ that can lead to higher levels of employee engagement and job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and overall well-being.

Encouraging employees to support each other toward common goals can create a sense of belonging and purpose beyond individual achievement and metric-based outcomes.

Finally, promoting work-life balance and prioritizing mental health can prevent burnout and ensure that team members can sustain their success in the long term. Companies can create a more sustainable and fulfilling work environment for all by valuing employee well-being as much as organizational success.