Compassion in the Workplace

Hey there, and welcome back. I'm Alex Lyon, and we are at the end of a four-part series on compassion. Today's topic is compassion in the workplace. So compassion is care, kindness, especially the tendency to think about the needs and the good of others. It's a state of mind and emotions that drive you to act with kindness toward others. So the main point today that we'll be discussing are the four ways that you can help create a culture of compassion in the workplace. In other words, create some norms and some values that cultivate more compassion. So the first tip is to talk about the heroes and legends of the workplace in ways that show their compassion, that highlight the compassionate roots of the people who started it all, assuming, of course, they cared about people, and many founders do. So I talked about in a previous video in this series about Wegmans and how they really looked after my aunt when she worked there. Well, that compassion at Wegmans is rooted in their founders. So I shop at Wegmans, and near the doorway of the store is a plaque with a quote from Robert Wegman, a legendary CEO in the family company. It says, never think about yourself, always help others. So the company makes the most reminding their employees about the heroes and legends of the company and what they stood for. And doing this can be a very powerful cultural influence. And that's one of the reasons why Wegmans is considered, by the way, by Fortune Magazine, one of the best places to work. It's in the top 10 list year after year. Now, this is a grocery store chain, by the way, and they beat out places like Facebook and Google and other huge name brand companies. And the pay of those other companies is much higher, by the way. What Wegmans truly is great for is the way they treat their people. And their current leaders do that in part by constantly reminding everybody about the company's founders and the values that those founders had for people and their care for people. The second thing you can do to create a more compassionate workplace is treat people like whole human beings. We're not robots, we're actual people. Now, to me, it makes sense to treat people like people. So I recommend leading by example, taking the time to learn about people's lives outside of work, outside of their work role. Now, you don't have to necessarily socialize with people on the weekends from work, but ask about their kids. Ask about their hobbies and their other interests. Get lunch, get coffee while you're at work. Check in with them about their lives. You know, at work, we get so caught up in the task and the objectives. And if we let it, the workplace can really become very dry and impersonal. We have to counterbalance that tendency by giving the time and effort to acknowledge people's lives outside of work. And by doing this, we start to see people and treat people like the whole human beings that they are. And that gives more space for compassion. So the third way to create a more compassionate workplace is don't be so concerned about presenting a perfect image. Be authentic. Even be open to talking about your mistakes and shortcomings so other people can then be open about their issues. It's okay to talk about problems, even some personal problems, within reason. You have to obviously use your judgment. I personally would not, for example, dump all of my problems on somebody, but I do share some of my smaller struggles at work. Like I had to say the other day to a colleague that I was struggling and wasn't going to be able to deliver on something that I had said I would by the deadline. So I mentioned some issues outside of work that were making it hard, nothing serious, but I acknowledged my own shortcomings and small struggles, and it allowed him to show some compassion for me, which it did. So own up to your mistakes instead of trying to present that perfect image. And also don't point the finger and blame somebody else when something goes wrong. Blame is so common in many workplaces. It's like pointing the finger is the official policy, but your openness to counterbalance, this makes it safe for other people to talk about their own struggles. And when we bring those into the light, it humanizes the workplace and gives more space for compassion. So start by talking about your own small shortcomings and see how that goes. Test the waters a little bit. The fourth way to create a more compassionate culture and workplace is to step in and offer support. This is where the rubber meets the road, where talk and action come together. So when people go through difficulties, I think a lot of others assume, well, they must have some family or some close friends that will step in to help. But in my experience, that is often not the case. You might be in the workplace, the very best person. You're in the right position to come alongside them and show them some support, show them that you care. So I'm a college professor and I get to do this from time to time. So a few years ago, I had a very smart student who came to me with an issue. So she was struggling with very deep depression and anxiety. And she was behind on some work in my class. Basically, she could barely get to class in the afternoon because she was so depressed. And when she did show up, it was obvious something was wrong. She had tears going down her face just when she was even taking notes. And so she was a bit embarrassed to be around her classmates when she was like this. So we spoke one-on-one and I listened to her and I offered the opportunity for her to take the next exam in my office hours in a comfortable setting. Now, I'm not able to solve her depression problem, but I was offering to help. And that offer went a long way. She felt more supported. She felt like she wasn't alone. You don't have to be a professional counselor to let people know they're not alone. You just have to step in and offer support and show that compassion. And you may be positioned better than anybody in your workplace to do this for the people around you. So these four practices are just a starting place to create a more compassionate workplace. There's lots of other opportunities that you can weave into the cultural fabric of your workplace.