Awakening Compassion at Work

In their new book, ‘Awakening Compassion at Work: The Quiet Power that Elevates People and Organizations,’ Drs. Jane Dutton and Monica Worline discuss the theme of compassion, how employees and organizations can utilize it, and why it’s valuable. It is important to recognize that western society often encourages a fear of compassion, particularly fear of being seen as weak or being taken advantage of. However, practicing compassion benefits an organization by boosting morale, increasing efficiency, and creating employee and client loyalty, thereby helping with retention and reduced turnover. Companies and their employees can practice competent compassion by recognizing and acknowledging the suffering of others, and responding in a way that allows the employees to determine what level of response best suits them.