The Power of Empathy: A Key Soft Skill for the Future of Work
Benefit of this White Paper
Presents research on empathy as a leadership essential that directly impacts retention, job satisfaction, and performance—positioning it as a business-critical capability, not just a soft skill.
What You'll Learn With It
The Power of Empathy at Work
Dale Carnegie research shows a clear gap in how employees experience empathy from their leaders. While empathy is a proven driver of retention, job satisfaction, and performance, only 27% of employees strongly agree their leader cares about them as a person—and just 21% believe their leader cares about how life outside work affects their role. These gaps are not abstract; they represent measurable risks to engagement and retention.
Why You Need It
Empathy as a Retention Strategy
The data is striking: in high-empathy workplaces, 67% of employees report a strong intent to stay, compared to only 5% in low-empathy environments. Empathy also drives higher job satisfaction and stronger team performance. Put simply, employees who feel heard, valued, and supported are not only more loyal—they are more motivated, collaborative, and successful.
Employees in high-empathy environments are far more likely to report a high intent to stay.
What You'll Do With It
A Competitive Advantage Leaders Can’t Ignore
Empathy isn’t just a “soft skill”; it’s a strategic leadership capability that fuels resilience, trust, and long-term performance. Organizations that intentionally embed empathy into leadership behaviors, communication, and culture create workplaces where people thrive—and where business outcomes follow. The message is clear: empathy is no longer optional. It’s a measurable advantage.
