When you hear of a colleague experiencing a sad or traumatic event and instantly feel sadness for the person’s suffering, that is compassion. Compassion as a word derives from the Latin words com- meaning together and pati, meaning suffer. In essence, it means to suffer together.
Compassion is considered a “social emotion.” It is a response to a shared feeling of grief, anxiety, sadness, or other united feelings. It is not just feeling the same feelings, though. It also involves wanting to help alleviate the other person’s challenges.
Key Aspects of Compassion
Psychologists and scientists have studied many components of compassion for decades. There are some core values of compassion, which include:
Cognitive Awareness: The intellectual recognition that someone (including yourself) is experiencing difficulty, pain, or need.
Empathy and Sympathy: The ability to resonate with another person’s feelings and respond with warmth, care, and concern rather than judgment.
Distress tolerance: The ability to stay emotionally steady and mentally strong when facing pain, discomfort, or distress, instead of rushing to avoid or solve it.
Altruistic Action: The action of compassion. It is the internal emotional drive to act, support, and relieve suffering.
Self-Compassion: Compassion is not just about feeling and taking care of others; it also extends to care, non-judgment, and understanding toward your own mistakes and suffering, rather than falling into negative self-talk or shame.
(Source: National Institutes of Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7496193/)
Compassion in the Workplace Matters
Compassion holds equal significance in your professional life as it does in your personal life. Since workplaces are inherently social environments, even in professional contexts, many organizations now recognize that fostering compassion contributes to their success. So, what exactly does workplace compassion entail? It involves noticing when a coworker is facing challenges and responding with empathy to help reduce their stress. This might mean offering support with a demanding workload, taking a short break to brainstorm ways you can assist, or doing simple gestures of kindness. For managers, compassion may be reflected in making schedule adjustments during difficult times or regularly checking on employees handling major projects to ensure they are not feeling overwhelmed.
Fostering cultures of compassion in the workplace yields significant benefits for organizations, including:
Higher Retention: When employees feel seen, valued, and cared for, they are far less likely to quit.
Improved Engagement: Employees are more likely to invest time and effort in their teams when the workplace fosters engagement, openness, and compassion.
Lower stress: When there is a culture of compassion, employees communicate more, reducing stress and improving job satisfaction.
The Social Wellness Factor
Compassion is an action. It is an emotional response that prompts altruistic activities. Social wellness, on the other hand, is the ongoing state of cultivating a healthy, supportive network and interacting positively with those around you. While they are different, they are also acutely linked. Practicing compassion naturally builds and strengthens your social wellness, just as strong social wellness provides you with the energy and support network needed to act compassionately toward others at work and beyond.
Why is Social Wellness Important
Having healthy relationships is vital to our overall health and wellness. The health risks of being alone or isolated are comparable to the risks associated with cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Research shows that people with strong social networks:
• People with strong social networks tend to live longer.
• Have lower stress levels.
• Strong social networks are associated with healthier endocrine and cardiovascular function.
• Healthy social networks enhance the immune system’s ability to fight off infectious diseases.
• Improved mental health with reduced rates of depression and anxiety while boosting self-esteem.
(Source: National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/your-healthiest-self-wellness-toolkits/social-wellness-toolkit)
As we have already shown, building a culture of compassion affects organizational success by reducing employee stress, lowering turnover, and improving engagement. When companies establish a culture of compassion and social wellness, they foster greater success in their employees and their teams.
The Role of the Employer in Social Wellness
Many companies today recognize the benefits of social wellness as part of an employee’s overall health and wellness. One way companies do that is to set aside time for events to ensure employees are interacting socially and offer resources and tools for improving social wellness. There are several resources and tools available to help improve social wellness:
Therapy or counseling: A mental health professional can provide guidance and support to develop healthy social skills and enhance social wellness. Check out your employer’s Employee Assistance Program for what therapy benefits you can receive.
Support groups: Many Employee Assistance Programs can help you find and join a support group to connect with others facing similar challenges.
Social skills training: Some organizations offer workshops or courses to help individuals improve their social skills and build healthier relationships.
Online communities: Virtual communities and forums can be a valuable resource for connecting with others who share similar interests or experiences.
Conclusion
Social wellness and compassion are vital aspects of our overall well-being. They impact our mental, emotional, and physical health. By investing in our social connections, engaging in meaningful activities, and prioritizing personal interactions, we can enhance our social wellness and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. By acting more compassionately toward others and ourselves, we also boost our health, team cohesion, and the company’s profitability. Establishing a culture of compassion requires deliberate initiatives and sustained commitment. Demonstrating empathy, fostering open dialogue, acknowledging acts of compassion, and offering appropriate resources contribute to a workplace environment in which employees feel valued and supported.
