A pandemic, an invasion and the express need for empathy at work

This week, my plan was to pen a post on personal branding but that post will have to wait for another time because this moment feels more fitting for a more urgent and timely topic.? In actuality, the credit here mostly goes to my wife, who, in not so many words, told me to be more relevant.?

Over the last few days, the world has come to a standstill as the invasion of Ukraine serves as yet another somber reminder of how even the crises that seem far can quickly bleed into our lives, both personally and professionally.? Many of us have colleagues who are directly impacted by these events and much like the pandemic, this presents another opportunity for teams to come together and help each other through these difficult times.

Empathy.? First of all, be sure to reach out to coworkers, especially those that are directly impacted, and share words of encouragement.? It may not seem like much but you may be surprised by how much our support may mean to them, especially in a time when they may be facing a lot of uncertainty.? But you usually don’t know exactly what they are going through so do not presume to understand how this is affecting their personal and professional lives.? Empathize with them as best as you can.? But most importantly, offer a listening ear and learn how you may be able to lend a helping hand.

Support.? Seeing that they are part of a larger team, there are many things we can offer including more time away from work to help them cope. ? But we should also be careful about not assuming that’s what they want because to some, work can serve as a welcome distraction from these challenges.? So offer but don’t push.? Remind them that the team has their back and give them the assurances they need to come back and ask for more direct help should they choose to. ? The team and especially its leaders should make it unequivocallly clear that the employees’ well-being is the top priority. ? If people don’t think the team has a culture of empathy and support, they may feel compelled to cope on their own, and that usually doesn’t end well for them? or the team.??

Space. Finally, be sure to give people the space they need to cope.? This may seem somewhat contradictory to my earlier point about reaching out but there is a point at which your efforts to help can become a strain on the employee.? It is one thing to express your empathy and offer support.? It’s another thing to proactively try to solve their problem without even fully understanding the problem. ? If they ask for your help directly, by all means, help in every way possible. ? But don’t try to do too much and end up sucking up the head space they need to sort through things themselves.? Never let your need to help eclipse their need for help.

The invasion of Ukraine sadly won’t be the last crisis of 2022.? The last couple of years have been historically challenging as we have had to navigate a pandemic and many other crises that have challenged and changed the way we work.? But we shouldn’t let this seemingly endless string of overwhelming events numb us into inaction while our colleagues are suffering. ? Teams that support each other win over the long run because they are rooted in strong values that endure the test of time.? So if you don’t do it already, always be sure to reach out to your coworkers and show your support in the times they need it the most.? And now is one of those times for many.

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