Empathy and wellness: essential pillars for leaders in times of organizational transformation.
Empathic leadership helps prevent burnout in change processes, strengthening emotional connection and commitment in teams.
When organizations decide to embark on a transformation process, the focus is often on technology, new processes and operational efficiency. But are we really taking care of those leading the change?
Managers, process owners and key-users, the real heroes of change, often find themselves at the center of the storm, facing new responsibilities that can lead to burnout, a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that occurs as a result of chronic work-related stress. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is characterized by the following three dimensions:
- Feelings of exhaustion or lack of energy.
- Increased mental distance from work, or feelings of work-related negativism or cynicism
- Reduced professional efficacy
It shouldn't have to be this way, but there is no doubt that it is a really important issue to consider the human side of the equation: the emotional and physical health of your teams is critical to the success of any transformation.
As part of our responsibility as change management leaders and to counter these challenges, we focus on showing the positives of the transformation so that it feels like an opportunity, a path to improvement and progress. It is important to be very close to the key-users, so that they feel recognized for their performance and get all the right support. Follow up with them, accompany them and always keep in mind that, as the routine of these collaborators suddenly changes, they must assume new roles and functions. To this end, giving them the necessary tools and preparation is key to avoid jeopardizing their commitment in the medium and long term.
It is important to remember that our brain is a highly plastic organ, capable of adapting and changing throughout our lives. By providing a work environment that fosters resilience and learning, we can help our employees adapt more easily to change. This is why it is so important to understand the propensity to change from a human point of view, recognizing that not everyone reacts in the same way and that empathetic leadership is more necessary than ever.
The importance of empathetic leadership
An empathetic leader does not focus solely on metrics or meeting project milestones; he or she stops to consider how his or her teams feel. This type of leadership involves creating spaces for one-on-one conversations, where they can assess how those who carry the burden of change on their shoulders are doing emotionally and physically. Empathy and wellness are not optional elements, but essential pillars to ensure that organizational transformation does not collapse due to burnout among those driving it.
A study surveyed nearly 900 employees and found that leaders who practice empathy will have a more engaged team and a more profitable business, highlights an article published by Forbes: of those surveyed, 61% said that, faced with empathetic leadership, they felt more innovative, 76% admitted to being committed to their work and 86% said they could cope with the demands of their work and personal lives.
For organizations undergoing a transformation project, the challenge is to design strategies that measure success both in terms of tangible results and emotional well-being. This means putting people at the center. By investing in employee well-being, organizations strengthen engagement and productivity, building a more resilient and adaptive organizational culture.
True success in a transformation process is achieved when the people involved feel they have the support they need, both professionally and personally. Leaders who recognize the importance of empathy and wellness, and who act accordingly, are building the future of their organizations on a solid, human foundation.
The lower the emotional connection, the higher the cost of employee retention.
By Irene Marqués, partner at OLIVIA.
