Forward-thinking organizations recognize that empathy is an essential leadership skill and a business imperative, now and in the future of work. When interacting with someone from a different racial, ethnic, or cultural group, it’s critical to acknowledge that the path to empathy requires recognizing cultural differences and understanding our own individual biases as well as the societal systems and norms that perpetuate prejudice and discrimination. We call this concept, which has been studied by other researchers, “racial and ethnic empathy,” and it is critical for communicating across differences, mitigating bias, and building inclusive workplace cultures. Our data from 1,664 White leaders in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa show that this skill is essential for building a climate of senior leader allyship, and garnering support for diversity and inclusion initiatives. Just over half of White leaders (55%) report high levels of racial and ethnic empathy, and White leaders who know someone who has experienced racism or discrimination are 1.8 times more likely to have high levels of racial and ethnic empathy. White leaders who have high levels of racial and ethnic empathy are more likely to believe that leaders should be champions for diversity and inclusion—for example, by actively promoting equitable treatment of employees across racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, speaking out against racial discrimination, and advocating for antidiscrimination initiatives. White leaders with high levels of racial and ethnic empathy are also more likely to say that their peers act as visible allies for people from marginalized groups and are 26% less likely to report that they have high turnover intentions.Racial and ethnic empathy is a powerful mechanism for creating a workplace in which leaders advocate for inclusion and support colleagues from marginalized racial and ethnic groups. Organizations that invest in training and experiences to build this skill in their leaders will be better positioned to build an equitable future of work where everyone can belong, contribute, and thrive.
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