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Compassion at Work

Creating a Compassionate Workplace Culture

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Summary

Creating a compassionate workplace culture involves fostering genuine connections, practicing active listening, and showing kindness to both colleagues and oneself. This approach leads to higher job satisfaction, better mental health, and improved workplace performance. Learn how to implement these practices and access resources from CMHA to support your organization in building a psychologically safe and supportive environment

Creating a Compassionate Workplace Culture

Compassion is the powerful emotion that drives us to take action to alleviate suffering. In today’s world, the need to cultivate compassion within the workplace is more important than ever. A recent study found that 71% of Canadian employees reported that their mental health has impacted their ability to work. Research also shows that compassion in the workplace is linked to higher job satisfaction, loyalty, and trust in the organization, as well as improvements in performance and motivation.

In the workplace, we can extend compassion to both ourselves and our coworkers. By doing so, we foster connections, improve relationships, promote positive emotions, and reduce job-related stress and anxiety.

How to Be a Compassionate Coworker

Creating a compassionate workplace culture begins with forming authentic relationships with colleagues. When we intentionally seek out or create opportunities for genuine connection at work, we build a foundation of trust and openness. Here are some ways to practice compassion with your coworkers:

  • Express genuine interest and concern: Show that you care about your colleagues by asking how they are doing and truly listening to their responses.
  • Listen actively and without judgment: Make sure your colleagues feel heard by giving them your full attention and avoiding judgment.
  • Validate their experiences and emotions: Acknowledge and support your colleagues’ feelings and experiences, especially during challenging times.

By consistently practicing these compassionate behaviours, we can form meaningful support networks that benefit everyone in the workplace.

Showing Compassion for Ourselves

It’s equally important to extend the same level of compassion to ourselves. On tough days, instead of being hard on ourselves, we can set reasonable expectations and reframe our thoughts to be more gentle and positive. Remember, everyone has bad days, and it’s okay to show ourselves kindness and patience during those times.

Support for Creating a Compassionate Workplace

If you’re interested in bringing mental health and compassion into your organization, CMHA National offers a range of solutions to help create a psychologically safe workplace. These include organizational training, psychological health and safety training, and the Not Myself Today® program, which provides resources for fostering a supportive workplace environment.

For more information on how to implement these practices in your workplace, check out this PDF guide from CMHA National’s Mental Health Week resources.

If you need further support or want to explore these solutions in more detail, reach out to your local CMHA branch, like ours here in Truro, for guidance and assistance. We’re here to help you build a more compassionate and mentally healthy workplace.

References

  1. Jazaieri, H., & Rock, M. (2021). Putting Compassion to Work: Compassion as a Tool for Navigating Challenging Workplace Relationships. Mindfulness, 12, 2552–2558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01695-5
  2. Benefits Canada (2023). 71% of Canadian employees say mental health impacted their ability to work in the past year: survey. Link
  3. Harvard Business Review (2023). Leading with Compassion Has Research-Backed Benefits. Link
  4. Cornell University (2021). Psychological Safety: The Key to Better Workplace Performance. Link
  5. Tehan, M. (2007). The Compassionate Workplace: Leading with the Heart. Illness, Crisis & Loss, 15(3), 205-218. https://doi.org/10.1177/105413730701500303
  6. Brunel University (2019). Creating a Compassionate Workplace Culture. Link
  7. Nature (2021). Workplace Compassion: Its Impact and Benefits. Link