Empathy and the Middle Manager

The role of the middle manager is to bridge the gap between senior management and frontline employees. They are responsible for implementing the policies and procedures set by senior management, and they must also be able to adapt these policies to fit the needs of their employees.

One of the most important skills middle managers need as they grow in their role as people leaders is empathy. The Center for Creative Leadership terms empathy as ‘having the ability to understand the needs of others, and being aware of their feelings and thoughts’.

However, a 2018 Forbes article stated that empathy at the workplace was on the decline, with a study showing that only “40% of frontline leaders” were “proficient or strong in empathy.”

Many managers tend to lose their ability to empathise simply because of their positions. They may not have had a shoulder to lean on as they were going up the ranks, resulting in the belief that it made them tough and resilient – and what got them to where they were.

Showing empathy isn’t difficult

Empathy is essential for creating a positive work environment, one in which employees feel supported and valued. Workplaces that promote empathy see happier employees who perform better. It also helps managers build strong relationships with their employees.

Empathy is especially needed when an employee has faced a major setback.

Here are seven ways a middle manager can show empathy at work:

1. Give space

2. Make yourself available if your employee needs to speak

3. Listen actively and sympathise

4. Don’t judge or jump to conclusions

5. Don’t be nosey by pressing for information

6. Be flexible with the employee

7. Assign a backup

Let’s dive a little deeper into each one.

1. Give space

Imagine you have an employee who has just experienced a personal tragedy at home. Give her some space and allow her to grieve in her own way. You don’t have to assume responsibility to spread the news, so maintain confidentiality. This will also ensure that your employee is left alone and isn’t bothered by others – even if they were well-meaning.

2. Make yourself available if your employee needs to speak

As a caring and empathetic manager, you will make yourself available to your colleague when she needs someone to talk to. She may not want to speak immediately after the tragedy has happened, but after some time has passed, she may need a listening ear. Unless absolutely impossible, when your employee is ready to speak with you, make time for her. Clear a meeting if you need to. If you’re not there for your employee when she needs you, she may not come to you again.

3. Listen actively and sympathise

The last thing a grieving employee wants is to feel like she’s talking to a wall. Put your distractions away and listen actively to what she wants to share. Avoid getting interrupted by phone calls, messages, email notifications and the like. The grieving employee deserves your full attention, so give it to her.

4. Don’t judge or jump to conclusions

Avoid jumping to conclusions or blaming people for what went wrong. Remain neutral so that your employee knows that you’re not forming opinions, and that it’s safe to continue speaking with you.

5. Don’t be nosey by pressing for information

Your employee has confided in you and shared her grief, but it’s not your place to dig for more information about the tragedy. There are some things she may not want to discuss or go into. Don’t give her the impression you are fishing for information.

6. Be flexible with the employee

If you’ve experienced a personal tragedy yourself, you’ll know that it’s not easy to bounce back to a normal rhythm. Be flexible with her. If she needs a little more time to get back to the swing of things, give it to her.

7. Assign a backup

For some time, especially in the period immediately following the tragedy, your employee may not be able to perform her duties. Quickly assign a backup for the most important tasks until she is fit to return to work and is able to assume her responsibilities.

Empathy helps to build strong relationships between employees and managers. When employees feel that their boss understands them and cares about their well-being, they are more likely to be productive and cooperative.