Empathy Fatigue and Staff Wellbeing

Author: Steve Talbot, Steve Talbot Consultancy

I was recently delivering training at the Dudson Centre on behalf of Expert Citizens Insight Academy, part of the Changing Futures programme here in Stoke. The session was going swimmingly, a buzzing environment, lots of laughter, lots of activity. There was one learner in the room who was really enthused and throwing herself into the tasks. It was during one of the group discussions that she explained how this had been her first spot of training in a classroom since lockdown. She had also been interviewed by her employer and employed during lockdown. She had never met any of her team face to face. It was only as she said this that one of her classmates said, ‘oh right I know who you are!’ And they both realised that they actually worked on the same team.

The way that we work in 2023 is very, very different to post Covid days. The fact that I had two people on training, doing the same job, for the same organisation and they didn’t know each other was rather jarring. It was at that point, that the newer member of staff opened up about how she had struggled with her workload, with asking people for advice, of understanding housing legislation. She told us all that she had contemplated leaving the job as she felt so isolated, so alone. She felt that she had been left to ‘get on with it.’ Sad times indeed.

As I said to the learner, ‘we don’t know what we don’t know. How are you expected to find out what you don’t know if you don’t have anyone to ask?’ She nodded and said, ‘I’m exhausted.’ Being left to work in isolation leaves us vulnerable. We are human beings, we need that ‘human moment.’ Humans thrive in societies that nurture and protect us. Hybrid models of working are all well and good and some people do their best work at home, others do not. It’s not only anecdotal evidence that backs up our need to be more connected, research is showing that since lockdown more and more staff are suffering from empathy fatigue and burnout.

We need to converse with people about things other than work. Those water cooler moments of ‘did you see what happened on Line of Duty? Just who is H!?’ and ‘Coronation Street isn’t as good as it used to be’ have faded into the background, now it seems to be all work, work, work. Of course, some employers prefer this, but then they’re the sort of employer who isn’t interested in the wellbeing and mental health of their staff.

What am I banging on about this for? The Insight Academy have commissioned me to devise and deliver an updated version of my Empathy Fatigue course. I have created this learning and development opportunity in co-operation with other professionals and residents from across Stoke-on-Trent. People who have been open and honest about their fatigue and how they used various techniques and strategies (some of which I taught them) to get back in touch with the person they used to be. The less frazzled version of themselves. The more compassionate, self-caring individual, renewed and invigorated and ready to support people across Stoke-on-Trent and beyond…

As Amy Bradley writes:

“Data collected through the NHS staff survey found that when staff do not feel cared for and are disengaged, this has a damaging impact on a range of performance outcomes, such as increased staff absenteeism, higher infection rates in patients and higher rates of patient mortality. Simply put, in these work environments, compassion is a matter of life or death.”

To find out more about the INSIGHT Academy visit: https://expertcitizens.bwardemo.co.uk/insight-academy/

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