Community EQ: Empathy as a KPI in Post-COVID19 Business Culture

Nicol Savinetti
2021 Zenodo  
This white paper proposes that community empathy—in other words, actively practicing collective empathy—be a core element of the future of work in all business organizations, and that it be embraced actively as a key performance indicator using socio-technological solutions. First of all, we present the current state of work as it intersects with (post)COVID19 society, drawing attention to the urgency and recognized need for nurturing "soft" human capabilities like empathy among all employees.
more » ... e then dive deep into the concept of empathy as it is being harnessed and monetized around the world for the betterment of business and society at large, and argue for a capabilities approach to working with empathy. We also critically reflect on the methods that have been used to create community within business organisations, and share insights into the human science behind community building, and collective thinking and feeling. The solution we propose is to co-create spaces that are conducive to nurturing the practice of empathy. This is a multidimensional process which involves having a good understanding of what empathy actually is, curation, preparation, and the mindful matching of people. In addition to expanding on these dimensions, we provide tips for designing the settings for the encounter(s), and emphasize the importance of reflection and feedback, and the crucial role of consistency and repetition in habit formation. The paper concludes with a succinct overview of the outcomes we as human beings, as employees, as employers, as family members, as citizens and denizens can expect to enjoy as our empathetic capabilities increase - not only at work but also in all of our social relations and interactions.
doi:10.5281/zenodo.5268158 fatcat:c2e6srwnljcyzl43dsyecyxzzq