Empathy in its simplest form is the ability to understand and connect with others’ experiences. Recent studies show that 91% of CEOs believe empathy is directly linked to a company's financial performance. And fostering an empathetic culture is one of the best ways to create an engaged, productive workforce. 93% of employees say they're more likely to stay with an empathetic employer and highly engaged teams create 21% more profitability.

The "empathy gap" is quickly growing; 92% of CEOs believe their organisation is empathetic, yet only 51% of employees agree. 72% of employees now use empathy as a deciding factor in whether to stay or move on. And for those who stay? Disengagement at work costs US businesses a staggering $600 billion in lost productivity a year.

So whilst it is clear that leaders understand empathy is essential to business success, they are struggling to embed it into their cultures. What can be done to create and sustain more empathetic workplaces? How can we prioritise empathy to reap its many rewards at work? How can we hack the empathy gap to create high performing, engaged and loyal teams? And what is already working well that we can learn from?

In this pilot workshop, Naomi Jane, founder of A Life Less Ordinary Wanted, and Daniele Fiandaca, co-founder of Utopia, will provide valuable insights into how increased empathy in the workplace can lead to a happier, more inclusive and more productive workplace.

Expect to come out with actionable changes (hacks) you can make both as an individual and as a business to create a more empathetic culture.

As it is a pilot, please do expect to be asked for feedback at the end so we can understand how we can make it better. Feedback after all is a gift.