Empathy – the Missing Ingredient

Empathy- we hear that word a lot lately… I think it’s interesting that empathy has become a much sought-after attribute in many parts of our lives, especially in the workplace. With technological advances giving way to digital communication, a new normal has been created requiring managers and recruiters everywhere to search for “hard skills” in the candidate pools.

In an effort to leverage business objectives and strengthen workforce teams, employers place great value on individuals who can build and implement platforms and systems that create lean and seamless workflows. Paying a premium for these skills, they go to great lengths to incentivize candidates who are technically astute and innovative so they can enhance and expand business across the continuum.

That’s definitely necessary… but guess what? While we have been busy developing our “left-brains” our  “right-brains” have been unattended. Now, our social skills are suffering…

Managers and candidates often lack effective people skills, most critically among them is empathy- a lack of listening, emotional intelligence and caring about making people feel valued. If the importance of conversational skills seems outdated, I apologize to no one; interview etiquette, be it in-person or virtual, never goes out of style.

Hiring managers and recruiters describe being frustrated with candidates “ghosting them”, “blowing-off” job interviews, and submitting documents that are riddled with inaccuracies and inconsistencies. It burdens the workload of already busy recruiters who are trying to parse through the queue of incoming resumes. Recruiters see these behaviors as showing a lack of interest or skill, so they try to avoid hiring a potentially “bad fit”.

Conversely, job candidates report a lack of timely follow-up from managers who promise to call – but never do … its “radio silence” for weeks between interviews, leaving candidates feeling uncertain and undervalued. Were those mandatory cover letters ever read by anyone???

Talented candidates are being courted by the competition or being retained through counteroffers. They need to know where they stand in your process… should they wait indefinitely to hear from you?

Let’s face it- it’s a balancing act with many moving parts and contributing factors. The best we can do is to respect each other’s time, be mindful of workday challenges, and appreciate how scheduling conflicts and moving calendars can impact one’s availability.

Managers and recruiters- please try to have some compassion for the candidate who is out of work and understand their desperation to find a job. When you are sitting securely behind your desk, take a moment to appreciate the difference between your world and theirs – and go the extra mile to be kind.

Likewise, candidates – please understand the challenges that a recruiter’s workload creates as they struggle to navigate a fair and cohesive interview process- for you. You are not the only candidate in the queue as there can literally be hundreds or more. So be kind in return by showing patience.

Apologies go a long way with me. They indicate a person’s ability to demonstrate empathy- the missing ingredient. Its foundational to fostering respect in the workplace and creating a more harmonious world.

Thanks for reading and have an amazing day!