In a previous contribution, when writing about ethical investments, I had written that one impact of the coronavirus has been an increased acceptance of what is being termed as compassionate leadership. Compassion has been traditionally seen as a weakness more than a positive trait in leaders. Today, it is being shown that compassion does actually change employee behaviours for the better.
Students of linguistics would tell you that the word ‘compassion’ originates from two words – ‘com’ and ‘passion’. ‘Com’ means together and ‘passion’ means feeling. As such, the word compassion would imply empathy with one another.
It is increasingly becoming an important value at work, especially in the light of the current circumstances. Given the Anglo-Saxon influence on parts of our business culture, we do not necessarily appreciate such a value, and as I mentioned, it has traditionally been seen as a weakness and is underestimated.
In the last few months, a number of employers have shown compassion towards their employees. Examples have been the introduction of employee wellness measures, or the continuance of a full pay salary even though the business would have been incurring a loss and not necessarily has received wage subsidies paid for by the public purse.
On the other hand, we also need to look at the wider scenario and assess whether we need to change public attitudes, perceptions and expectations. This requires some considerations.
Have we become so materialistic in our approach such that we regard the human person simply as a production tool like a machine? Have we stopped giving priority to developing human relationships at work to the extent that we are just focused on a transaction-based approach? Human relationships at work cannot be exchanged for money, like in a transaction for goods or services, and so we just put them aside. Have we become so engrossed in our personal interests that we have forgotten the common good?
Admittedly, compassion is something so intangible that it is easy to consider it as something unimportant or irrelevant. However, when we say that something is unimportant, what we mean is that a lack of compassion or a lack of positive human relations at work does not really matter, and what happens to a member of our team is of no real concern to us.
When we say that compassion is irrelevant, what we mean is that it is not measured, such that we can input it in an accounting ledger, and so it can be safely ignored. The implication of all this is that we have reduced everything to the operation of the free market and the price mechanism. Everything has a price and we operate according to that axiom.
The price of property and the greed of property speculators here in Malta are a glaring example of this, and we will live to rue the day that we have crushed the dreams of many young people of owning adequate and affordable homes. Because we believe in the market and believe that people are worth what the market is willing to pay for them, we underestimate caring of any kind, because that comes for free and is outside the realm of the price mechanism.
Yet, what coronavirus has taught us is that the idea of small government and big business do not address social inequalities. This pandemic has highlighted once more the importance of economic and social justice, which goes beyond the mere distribution of social benefits.
We need to recognise that caring, relationships and compassion are essential to a strong economy and these elements are a result of our beliefs, our values and our culture. We cannot keep sacrificing these elements on the altar of the economy.
A blessed Christmas to all.