It’s been a while I have been writing something but now I really want to recommend a new book about the power of empathy at work: “Empatian voima työssä”. Wow, I listened to it a couple of days in a row and found it so insightful! What is so fascinating is that even when talking about soft skills – like empathy – there is starting to be hard research results to support that empathy really matters at work. And what is even more interesting is that it is a skill that can be increased through training intervention of emotional skills – and will have noticeable benefits for the organization too.

This new book was full of interesting facts, research results, tools for use as well as very insightful examples – e.g. opening what made it possible for Finnish men’s ice hockey team “Leijonat” to win the world championship title in 2019 with a team of 18 first timers. I could share many things from this book, but I stick with what is possible outcomes of the empathy so here is…

…the list of the 10 benefits of the empathy at work:

  1. Financial profitability (taloudellinen kannattavuus)
  2. Well-being (hyvinvointi)
  3. Ability to change (muutoskyvykkyys)
  4. Collaboration (yhteistyö)
  5. Quality of customer service (asiakaspalvelun laatu)
  6. Innovation (innovatiivisuus)
  7. Learning (oppiminen)
  8. Work engagement (työnimu)
  9. Employees engagement (työntekijöiden sitoutuminen)
  10. Purpose (työn merkityksellisyys)

Does it sound like those could be some great benefits in your organization – or to some extent in life – too ? In my opinion yes – many of the great learnings from that book can be used also in our lives outside of work as well as at work – in all interactions with other people.

At the moment this book is only in Finnish but you’ll find here from the author Miia Paakkanen some research articles also in English.

Definitely worth reading or listening.