In 2017, Businessolver published its second-annual Workplace Empathy Monitor, which shared insights about the state of empathy in the workplace and how employers can improve their demonstration of empathy.

While the report found that 90 percent of employees believe empathy is important to demonstrate in the workplace, two-thirds said it is hard to practice. Among other key findings were employees finding empathy to be undervalued by organizations and empathy being thought of as a way to foster retention at the workplace. Additionally, actions such as treating everyone with respect, caring for the employees’ mental/physical health and providing flexible work hours were considered to be demonstrations of empathy.

Businessolver has continued to provide tips for employers to demonstrate empathy, such as providing feedback and flexible schedules. Businesssolver wrote in a March blog post that studies have shown employees prefer having their efforts acknowledged over receiving free food and happy hours. Flexible work hours can also help employers show employees appreciation for their lives outside of work.

Next month, Businessolver will release the 2018 Workplace Empathy Monitor, providing the most recent research on the state of empathy in the workplace.