Empathy at Workplace

Featured Image Caption: Professional Relationship

In a rush to excel, we keep forgetting a basic human value that is Empathy. We frequently fail to understand and share the feelings of our colleagues. We say- we only share a professional relationship. Eventually, we are behaving more like machines and less human.

Recall your college days and the number of people you interacted and compare it to the present. At the age of 40, the only people we are in touch with are the family (wife, mom, and dad mostly) and only two or three friends.
Why?
Why don’t we feel the same for people as when we were young?
Well, we can simply cover up by saying- that’s life, people part. But, still, a connection can be retained, not just on LinkedIn, but in a real life.

Here is a worth noticing event that calls- have some empathy people!
So, two days back, Amrita received a call from her ex-colleague- Smt Lata. The person who called was an old mid-level employee. Being an old aged person and not very profound in the corporate lifestyle, this woman was not taken seriously by many.
It wasn’t necessary for Amrita either to receive the call, but she did, thinking of some files she might be asking for access. But, it was a casual call from that person, asking about Amrita’s well being, her family, telling her about her fracture, complaining that her present colleagues don’t bother, and so on.

Two days later, Amrita received a news that this woman, her ex-colleague, whom she spoke the other day, died of cardiac arrest.
It was shocking. Two days before, she was hearing about that person’s recovery and now she is hearing that Smt Lata is no more!
But, she was thankful that she was present when a dying person looked out for her. She could have ignored her call, but for no reason she received it.

Somebody said that a dying man tries to reach out to the people whom he loves or hates. With her talks with Amrita, it seemed she meant something to her. Knowingly or unknowingly, Amrita must have done something good to her. And what I feel good about is Amrita spoke to her, for no reason at all.

Don’t you think, we miss on this empathy?
Would we ever pick a call from a junior ex-colleague or may be an office-boy?

Many a time, we are so busy with our work, our issues that we overlook other people’s life. No matter they mean something to us. We casually shrug and say- he wasn’t there when I need him. But, we should ask ourselves- Am I there when he needs now?
See, don’t you think we miss this human value- Empathy?

Is empathy taught or it comes naturally? Maybe both. During orientation, not just “How to or be the best.” “be a human first” should be taught at all levels- school, colleges, organizations, etc.
And if not more, at least, we can attend the people who try to reach us.

By Nidhi Agrawal
who is a content consultant with Gozo Technologies Pvt Ltd, a travel company and intercity taxi service provider in India. She believes, fiction is not completely a fiction and lives in Mumbai.

Member since July, 2018
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