Dr. Kortni (00:00)
Welcome to the Compassionate Newsroom, your gateway to transforming the heart and soul of journalism. I'm your host, Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon. I'm a former news director and television reporter turned happiness scholar. Now I train news leaders and journalists worldwide, teaching them how to cultivate workplace wellbeing and resilience with positive psychology. Each week, join me as I share evidence-based strategies.
and talk with some of the most inspiring people in the industry, including news leaders, journalists, trainers, and mental health experts. Together we'll share actionable approaches to help you. Imagine a newsroom that not only cares about the story, but profoundly values the people behind them. A place where compassion is the competitive advantage. Don't just listen, become part of this transformative journey. Subscribe to and share The Compassionate Newsroom. Let's champion a more supportive,
healthier and happier newsroom culture, one episode at a time.
Dr. Kortni (01:03)
Happy Wellbeing Wednesday. I'm your host, Dr. Courtney. Well, today we're gonna talk about a topic that is close to my heart. Well, all things close to my heart just happen to be about thriving in the workplace and of course, compassion. But in this case, I wanna call it empathy in action. We'll explore how fostering a compassionate environment not only benefits individuals
but transforms the entire organizational culture. So what is compassion in the workplace? I've talked about this in previous episodes, but I wanna dive into it a little bit more. So let's start by defining compassion in a professional context. Compassion involves recognizing serious troubles faced by others, understanding these troubles
and putting ourselves in their shoes is all about empathy and action, doing something to help others without expecting anything in return. And I also like to say this, it's also operating without judgment and really operating with care. So recent studies highlight compassion as an essential element of a productive work environment.
promoting job satisfaction and motivation as well as organizational health. I have a personal experience to share that really speaks to the power of empathy and action. Early in my career as a reporter in Philadelphia, I faced an unimaginable tragedy. I became a widow just 86 days after my wedding.
I was only 25 years old. And during this profoundly difficult time, the empathy shown by my colleagues in the newsroom was instrumental in my healing process. Now, also, let me share this. This was a new 24-hour news station, and we were all new at the same time, This new station that we're cultivating together.
The support I received was incredible. Three of my coworkers, whom I had known maybe a month, barely, attended my late husband's funeral. This act of kindness was life-changing. And to this day, it's been one of the greatest gifts, the blessing in my life two
out of these three colleagues are my closest friends. Their support during such a vulnerable time in my life really exemplifies the profound impact of empathy at work. when you're developing compassion and organization, you need to think about it in terms of
priority, And you also need to keep in mind some of the benefits like reducing stress and increased job satisfaction because employees in a compassionate environment experience less stress and higher job satisfaction. Loyalty and engagement. I mean it speaks to even my example talking about how
I had developed now lifelong friends 25 years actually to be exact that I met in my newsroom back then that are just still in my life. these workplaces also see higher levels of loyalty and then also employee engagement. Healthy interpersonal relationships. empathy and action can foster trust, mutual respect.
cooperation among colleagues, it enhances teamwork and organizational success. Plus simple acts of kindness, like noticing when someone is struggling, actively listening and providing support, again, my favorite word or term, without judgment. It's so important. It's so important because it makes for powerful examples.
of empathy and action. They can dramatically reduce workplace anxiety and pressure, helping employees become resilient to stress and burnout. Now the importance and benefits of compassion happens to also be employee retention, Compassionate workplaces see higher retention rates as employees feel understood and valued.
Again, we talked about stress reduction, but a compassionate atmosphere allows for open communication, reducing stress levels and improving emotional wellbeing. And physical wellbeing, interactions in a compassionate setting can even improve physical health, resulting in lower blood pressure, healthier immune systems, and fewer sick days. Then of course, those interpersonal bonds.
employees in this kind of environment, a positive environment, a compassionate environment, tend to develop strong, supportive relationships, enhancing teamwork and productivity. That I know very well. research shows that spending significant hours in a compassionate work environment can lead to really better mental health.
for instance, like a personal crisis, like my own, right? Here I was at that time, grieving the loss of my first husband. And dealing with that, I think I probably only was out of work probably maybe two weeks, barely two weeks for bereavement. And coming in, really just coming back to the station.
such a sense of peace for me because of my co-workers and not just any co-workers, empathetic co-workers. So it's a life changer. It's a game changer. So colleagues that are empathetic can provide this really essential support helping maintain an individual's self-esteem and productivity. Recently I was watching a television
program on HBO Max and it's dealing with Hollywood and celebrities and really talking about like hardships. And there was one episode that focused in on child stars. And it was interesting how one of the producers of this show talked about, well, it just wasn't my job to really
focusing on that child star's well-being. And I thought, wow, that's kind of unfortunate. Because there's nothing like a compassionate workplace and having someone check in just to make sure you're okay. And this is the interesting part about doing a wellness check-in or mental health check-in. It's not about fixing it.
It can simply be about listening, listening to provide that ear, to provide that level of hope, and also to really provide that level of connection. There's nothing like it. And by the way, one out of those two friends that I actually became besties with 25 years ago in a startup newsroom in Philadelphia, well, one of them
will be with myself and my incredible husband. I remarried a couple of years ago to an amazing man who just happens to be an Emmy award winning journalist. And we will all be together for the Broadcast Education Association and the National Association of Broadcasters Conference in Las Vegas, where they're serving on my panel.
meaning my husband and her and a couple of other friends, and then they will be there, she with her husband, me with mine, and they'll be celebrating me because I'll be getting an award and a grant during BA that I cannot wait to tell you more about. So I will save that for another episode, but it speaks to the value, right? A compassion.
Compassionate work, empathy and action. And as we wrap up today's episode, remember that empathy and action in a workplace isn't just creating a nicer environment, right? Although nicer environment is great, right? Positive workplace, phenomenal. But also remember this, it's about building a fundamental element that promotes health and wellbeing.
Continue to challenge yourself, challenge your news organizations, challenge all the people in your life, even outside of news, To be leaders in empathy and action, transforming our workplaces into spaces where compassion and kindness aren't just encouraged, but it's lived every day. And always remember, I'm here every step of the way to help.
See you next week.
Dr. Kortni (09:54)
for tuning into the Compassionate Newsroom podcast. Together we can transform workplace wellbeing in news. If you found value in today's episode, please share it with a colleague to help foster a supportive environment in the industry. And don't forget to subscribe and also visit our website for more resources at thecompassionatenewsroom.com.
