- We are going to talk about compassion in the workplace
and how you can do your part to make
a more compassionate workplace.
So let's get into those details.
(soft electronic music)
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 Wegman's and how they really looked after aunt
when she worked there.
Well that compassion at Wegman's is rooted in their founder
so I shop at Wegman's 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 out of 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 Wegman's 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 Wegman's 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 tasks
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.
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 that 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 you're 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 friend who 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 along side 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.
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 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 environment.
As far as next steps, I encourage you to watch
the previous three videos in this series on compassion.
I will link to all of those in the description
below this video and also have a free download
I would like to offer you.
It's about the essential professional communication skills
that all professionals should possess.
I will link to that below and also I will pin that
to the first comment in the comment section.
So thanks, God bless and be sure to check out
those other videos on compassion in this series.