Our eighth annual study

2023 State of Workplace Empathy Report

Our data is clear: Empathy is critical to organizational success and culture.

But the empathy gap continues to persist. As executives turn back to the bottom line, HR and employees are left feeling unheard, unappreciated, and underpaid. RTO, inclusive benefits, DEIB, and flexibility are among the top hot-button issues in this year's empathy report. 

Are you ready for a change? Read our latest findings, as featured in Forbes, Fast Company, HubSpot, and more to learn how your organization can close the empathy gap. 

Get the Latest Pulse on Empathy

Featured on the "Empathy Edge"

Listen to Rae Shanahan, Businessolver's Chief Strategy Officer, and Maria Ross, host of "Empathy Edge", discuss how employers can leverage this year's Empathy data to close the gap with their employees.

Making Empathy Count Whitepaper Cover Image Link

Featured in "Empathy that Counts"

Rae Shanahan, Businessolver’s Chief Strategy Officer, contributed to the “Empathy that Counts” report, discussing the relevance and importance of empathy in today’s workplaces.

HR is at Their Breaking Point

And we totally get it. After three years of unrelenting change, navigating a pandemic, and wearing many hats, HR is calling it quits. It's time to give HR their voices back and look at strategies to help these critical teams drive meaningful change for their organizations.

Points
HR professionals perception of CEOs
+
Points
CEOs perception of HR professionals

Minding the Empathy Gap

Disconnected empathy perceptions are driving a wedge in many workplace cultures. As CEOs view themselves as more empathetic, HR and employee perceptions decline in the wake of misaligned priorities, benefits, and return to office.

68% of HR professionals view their CEO as empathetic, a 16-point decline from 2022 and the lowest levels ever reported. In contrast, 92% of CEOs view their HR professionals as empathetic, a 27-point jump from 2022.

HR is Burning Out

61% of HR professionals have experienced a mental health issue in the past year, up nearly 10 points from 2022. And it's no surprise: HR professionals are stuck navigating conflicting priorities between CEOs and employees alongside an ever-growing workload.

%
Of HR professionals experienced a mental health issue in the past year.

Empathy Perceptions Plummet from HR in 2022

This year's data reveals drastic decline in HR's empathy perceptions across the board, reaching their lowest levels since 2017. While empathy has ebbed and flowed these past eight years, these steep declines indicate an empathy crisis.

%
-23 points
My organization is empathetic
%
-16 points
My CEO is empathetic
%
-16 points
My employees are empathetic
%
Remote Employees
Would leave current job if required to work in person full time.

Return to Office Drives the Divide

Conflicting priorities between the C-suite, employees, and HR are taking a toll on culture and retention, especially as CEOs push for RTO amidst a turbulent economy. 

Overall, 8 in 10 employees and HR professionals feel they have more employment choices and are confident they can find new, more empathetic employers.

Additional Resources

2023 Mental Health Special Report

Our eighth annual State of Workplace Empathy Mental Health report takes a look at the conflicting priorities HR is managing, how declining empathy perceptions are coinciding with increased mental health issues, and how the empathy disconnect is crushing culture.

2023 DEIB Special Report

This year's Empathy data revealed significant setbacks in DEIB efforts due to layoffs, inflation, and return to office. While there is a consensus among all surveyed groups about the importance of implementing DEIB initiatives, the visibility and action on the DEIB front have diminished.

2023 Empathetic Technology and Smarter Service Report

This year's State of Workplace Empathy underscored HR's burden and how many of these teams are reaching their breaking point. While each organization's needs are different, technology is often table stakes for driving consistency, efficiency, and success. An empathetic HR tech stack is key to reducing HR's administrative workload so they can dig deeper into their work as organizational strategists.

Sign up to subscribe to our upcoming reports
More Coming Soon

Stay Tuned for More Empathy Insights

Subscribe to our emails to stay in the know as we release additional findings and recommendations to help you close the empathy gap in your organization. 

Previous Year's Reports

Woman using laptop
Report

2022 State of Workplace Empathy

Regain momentum and build a culture of empathy
Woman typing on laptop
Report

2021 State of Workplace Empathy

Empathy’s Future Trajectory Transformed
Report

2020 State of Workplace Empathy

State of Workplace Empathy: Vital, but Stalled