The empathy gap is people's tendency to underestimate their emotions' influence in making decisions. It can lead to people making decisions that are outside their best interests. In terms of change management, this can lead to people making decisions that are outside the organization's best interests, as they may need to take into account all the factors that could influence the outcome. For managers to address the empathy gap, it is essential to encourage open communication and to understand employees' feelings and perspectives. This can involve creating a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. It can also include seeking out diverse perspectives to ensure that various viewpoints are considered.

Three examples of the empathy gap in business and change management include:

  1. Failing to consider the impact of layoffs on employees: A company may decide to lay off a large number of employees in order to cut costs, but may not fully consider the emotional and financial impact this will have on those affected.
  2. Ignoring customer complaints: A business may receive numerous complaints from customers about a product or service, but may not fully understand or address the frustration and disappointment of those customers.
  3. Imposing change without consulting employees: A company may decide to implement a major change, such as moving to a new location or implementing a new system, without fully considering the impact on employees and their ability to adapt to the change.

To overcome the empathy gap, businesses can use the following strategies:

  1. Encourage open communication: Encourage employees to share their thoughts and feelings about changes and decisions, and make an effort to listen and understand their perspectives.
  2. Foster empathy: Encourage employees to put themselves in others' shoes and consider how their actions and decisions may impact others.
  3. Seek out diverse perspectives: Encourage input and feedback from employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences, as this can help to broaden the range of perspectives and help to reduce the empathy gap.