Ryan FowlerA recent roundtable in Cardiff, hosted by Platfform Wellbeing and Sitka Recruitment, brought together 11 senior HR professionals to delve into the concept of compassionate leadership and its implementation challenges. The discussions focused on the importance of empathetic relationships and supportive work environments, crucial for employee success.
Dr. Sian Edwards highlighted the nurturing aspects of compassionate leadership, including the challenges of integrating this approach into traditional business structures. A significant hurdle identified was securing leadership buy-in to transition towards these values.
Participants identified barriers such as traditional leadership valuing long hours and a hierarchical approach to management, which often overlooks the mental health and diverse needs of the workforce. Despite understanding the principles of compassionate leadership, many organisations and their leaders find its practical application unfamiliar and challenging.
A vast majority of HR professionals acknowledged their role in promoting a positive workplace culture and recognised a strong need for additional resources to support employee mental health effectively.
The rapid pace of technological advancements, particularly AI, and the pervasive influence of social media were also seen as complicating factors for workplace wellbeing.
The discussions underscored the importance of ongoing training and adaptation to bridge generational differences within the workforce. The benefits of fostering compassionate leadership include enhanced job satisfaction, reduced turnover, and improved workplace relationships.
Anna Lewis, director at Marsden Mee, reflected on the session: “We believe that it’s the attitudes and actions of people within a company that can truly make or break a brand. The discussion explored compassionate leadership, and it was great to hear different perspectives on what compassion really means in a business context, and the effect it can have on employee wellbeing and productivity. We’d love to see more organisations cultivating and celebrating behaviours that are values-driven, fostering healthy, motivated, and productive cultures.”
