US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called out an epidemic of loneliness and highlighted how workplaces are one way to help. How can people get their needs for connection and recognition met in appropriate ways at work? And how does this impact the overall performance of the organization?

I dug into these questions and more with Logan Mallory. Today, we talked about why he is so passionate about this work and how his empathy for his customers comes from being a customer himself at one time! We discussed why employers and employees are having so much conflict right now, what leaders can do to improve the employee experience, and simple ways to create an above-and-beyond culture. We talked about how your company can create a Gratitude Flywheel and got real about the short shelf life of "surface perks,” why a more consistent culture is required, especially in dispersed or hybrid environments, and why a workplace can help support community and connection to keep us mentally healthy.

To access the episode transcript, please click on the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com 

Key Takeaways:

• Communication and transparency are two of the pillars to understanding one another’s perspectives. Without that clarity in understanding, there cannot be effective empathy.
• People want to be recognized and they want to recognize their peers. According to a Motivosity survey, 75% of people said that their mental health would improve if they were recognized at work more often.
• The higher you are in your organization, the less you know about what’s going with your teams and customers creating an iceberg of influence. This is the same for the good and the bad. Put systems in place to help bridge this gap. 
• Good culture is different for everyone. What leadership in a company needs to do, with input from their team, they need to decide what those values are going to be. When you state who you want to be, that is empathetic for your employees and new recruits. 

"We have people that are burnt out, people that are disengaged, you have a mental health crisis in the US. And maybe one of the easiest things employers can do is empower their people to say Thank You more often." —  Logan Mallory

Episode References: 

• The Empathy Edge podcast episodes:
• Rebecca Friese: How To Build A “Good” Culture
• Shasta Nelson: Why Successful Leaders Encourage Work Friendships
• Claude Silver: Leading with Heart at Vayner Media
• Motivosity survey infographic, showing how gratitude leads to better mental health at work.
• The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

About Logan Mallory, VP Marketing, Motivosity

Logan Mallory is the Vice President of Marketing at the leading employee recognition software, Motivosity. Mallory is a public speaker, adjunct professor, and thought leader on culture and leadership in the workplace to achieve employee retention. Motivosity helps companies create winning cultures by focusing on gratitude and connection at work. Mallory's wife, four kids and poodle are all his favorites.

Connect with Logan Mallory:  

Motivosity: motivosity.com 

X: twitter.com/LoganMMallory 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/loganmallory 

Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009422255617 

Instagram: instagram.com/motivosity 

Join the tribe, download your free guide! Discover what empathy can do for you: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy

Connect with Maria: 

Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com

Learn more about Maria and her work: Red-Slice.com

Hire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross

Take my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with Empathy

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

Instagram: @redslicemaria

X: @redslice

Facebook: Red Slice

Threads: @redslicemaria

Achieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edge