Why an Empathetic Leadership Style Is the Key to Effective Safety Management

An empathetic leadership style in the workplace is no longer a “nice-to-have;” it’s a crucial component to achieving safe operations and fostering a culture of strong engagement and well-being. But how does empathetic leadership impact health and safety? In this post, we’ll discuss how putting empathy at the center of safety management can increase your influence across the organization. 

Empathy At Work

Often described as placing yourself in “someone else’s shoes,” empathy is the ability to understand another person’s feelings and see things through their perspective. 

Professional empathy is an invaluable skill for managers to possess. Besides helping forge a stronger connection with employees, empathy allows leaders to better understand how their actions impact team members. This makes them more likely to consider the different perspectives of employees when enforcing and communicating specific rules. 

The importance of empathy in safety management is outlined in specific health and safety standards, such as ISO 45003:2021. These guidelines provide ways to manage various psychosocial risks, thereby identifying a close link between empathy and effective operations. OSHA requirement [1910.30(d)] also compels employers to provide training “to each employee in a manner that the employee understands.” This encourages leaders to think critically about how their instructions are interpreted and received to promote effective communication. 

The Benefits of Leading Through Empathy

There’s a host of benefits when it comes to weaving empathy into your health and safety management program. These include: 

Enhanced Lines of Communication

Demonstrating empathy in the workplace will allow you to grow more conscious of the person or team you’re interacting with and adapt the way you communicate. For example, an empathetic leader may use a gentle, friendly tone when speaking to an employee who’s been involved in a distressing situation and a more formal, solemn tone when going over health and safety insights. This helps employees feel validated and fosters open communication between employees and leadership. 

Stronger Relationships

By making a visible effort to view situations from the perspective of your team members, you’re more likely to strengthen your working relationships with a foundation of trust. When it comes to health and safety, fostering this trust is key, as it will create a work environment where employees feel comfortable coming forward with safety-related concerns. They’ll feel confident that management will listen and take what they have to say seriously to actively make any necessary adjustments or changes. 

Increased Productivity and Profitability

Employees spend most of their time during the week at work, so their attitude toward your organization will have a lasting impact on their overall morale and productivity. Research shows the more an empathetic leader demonstrates they understand their employees’ needs, the more motivated the workforce will be, enhancing productivity and consequently boosting profitability. In the long run, this can also lead to lower turnover and less time or energy spent on training new hires.    

Tailored Training Solutions

Practicing empathy can also open the door to creating tailored training solutions. By actively considering how different employees take in information or react to training, you provide more creative solutions that customize training to different learning styles and needs. An engaging and effective health and safety training program promotes confidence among the workforce, eliminates the likelihood of incidents and gives your organization a competitive advantage. 

How To Combine Empathy and Leadership as a Health and Safety Manager 

There are many ways to incorporate professional empathy into your health and safety management strategy: 

1. Create a Safety Committee 

Create a safety committee that provides a safe space for employees to discuss your organization’s health and safety regulations and make recommendations. This space holds your organization accountable for taking action against risks and gives employees a voice. 

2. Carry Out Regular Risk Assessments 

Frequently conducting risk assessments and job hazard analyses (JHA) across the business is another great way to show empathy for the needs of your team. By taking the time to examine hazards causing stress or worry among the workforce, leadership can determine where they need to focus their health and safety strategy. Emphasizing this reflects a commitment to addressing workplace risks and proactively managing incidents. 

3. Show You Care 

It’s also important for employees to understand the reason for enforcing health and safety rules in the first place. Rather than framing health and safety requirements around compliance, explain how health and safety rules are in place to actively value employees and their right to feel safe at work.

4. Focus On Mental Health 

Beyond ensuring your employees are physically safe, placing empathy at the center of your management plan paves the way for better mental health and well-being. Many organizations face a growing number of challenges resulting from poor mental health. For example, absenteeism caused by mental health related challenges cost businesses $51 billion last year. A focus on mental health can also significantly enhance overall team performance. Employees who feel mentally supported are more likely to be engaged, motivated and productive. This positive environment fosters collaboration, innovation and drives long-term success. 

As you can see, combining empathy and leadership into your health and safety management approach is a powerful way to engage employees and create a more resilient workforce. Professional empathy isn’t just a strategy; it’s a commitment to understanding and supporting the people who drive your organization forward. 

Ready to take the next step to an engaged and empowered workforce? Check out our Mental Health and Wellbeing Toolkit below!