The Hidden Cost of a Workplace Without Empathy

Let’s be real: work can be stressful. But it doesn’t have to be toxic.

Too many workplaces are missing something simple but powerful—empathy. And when empathy is absent, everyone feels it. Employees get burned out, disconnected, and overwhelmed. Leaders miss warning signs. And organizations pay the price through lost productivity, poor morale, and higher turnover.

According to Businessolver’s 2025 State of Workplace Empathy report, employees at unempathetic workplaces are 1.3x more likely to face mental health issues. Burnout, loneliness, and anxiety are all higher when empathy is missing from the culture.

That’s not just a people problem—it’s a business problem.

Why empathy matters more than ever

The data is clear. In empathetic workplaces:

• 93% of employees feel like they belong.

• Burnout drops by 26%.

• People are more likely to be their authentic selves.

In unempathetic ones? Only 61% feel that same sense of belonging. And nearly two-thirds say they’re ready to leave for better mental health support elsewhere.

It’s not just younger workers, either. Gen Z and Millennials are leading the call for change, but Boomers and Gen X are feeling the pressure too. Everyone wants a workplace where they feel heard, seen, and supported.

The empathy gap

One of the biggest challenges? Leaders often think they’re doing better than they are.

While 94% of CEOs say their workplace supports mental health conversations, only 76% of employees agree. That’s a pretty big gap—and it shows that good intentions aren’t always enough.

Empathy isn’t just about offering mental health days or flexible hours (though those help). It’s about listening. Creating space. Leading with understanding. And backing it all up with real support.

What can you do?

Whether you’re in HR, managing a team, or leading a company, empathy starts with action:

• Check in with your people regularly.

• Offer flexibility when you can—remote work, flexible hours, mental health benefits.

• Listen without judgment when someone opens up about stress or burnout.

• Normalize the conversation around mental health.

As Kevin Finke, Founder + Chief Experience Officer at Experience Willow, put it, “Empathy isn't a soft skill—it's a strategic one. High-performing teams start with human-centered cultures.”

And that’s the truth. If we want people to thrive, we need to make empathy part of the way we work—not just something we talk about once a year.

If you found this blog post helpful, please share it with your friends and colleagues. And if you have any other tips, share them in the comments below.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Stalder is driven by the one thing he values most in life: joy. The joy in feeling like a kid again, the joy in fulfilling a sense of adventure, the joy in making a difference in peoples’ lives and the joy in helping others become the best versions of themselves. He uses the skills and expertise he's garnered throughout his career to bring joy to life—both for himself and for others.