What Happens When Frontline Leaders Lack Empathy
Empathy at work differs from empathy at home or among peers, and most new frontline leaders lack a clear understanding of how to use empathy at work.
Promotions are supposed to be a reward.
For many new frontline leaders, their promotions can feel like a setup.
This likely feels familiar:
You just promoted your best agent to a supervisor role. They’re reliable and team-oriented. But a few weeks in, they’re overwhelmed. They’re avoiding hard conversations. Team issues are starting to escalate. And instead of improving performance, the team feels less stable.
Most frontline leaders start the job without being taught how to lead or how to be empathetic with their direct reports.
Empathy Is Not Optional
Empathy is a big part of how leaders keep teams steady during change, retain high performers, and resolve issues before they escalate.
According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, empathy is requisite for mobilizing, connecting with, and engaging others. But empathy isn’t instinctive or automatic. It must be clearly defined, practiced, and modeled.
The Operational Cost Of Skipping Empathy Preparation
Supervisors without guidance on empathy fall into familiar patterns:
- The Fixer: Handles every problem themselves and burns out quickly. The team becomes dependent instead of resourceful.
- The Over-Accommodator: Avoids conflict and loosens standards to keep the peace, which erodes team trust and performance.
These behaviors lead to mistrust, uneven team dynamics, and attrition. And the risk is widespread. 85% of new people managers are promoted without formal training.
The Operational Benefit Of Empathy Preparation
Teams with empathetic frontline leaders are steadier under pressure, conversations are more explicit, and expectations are consistent.
Employees feel heard without their leaders taking on every issue themselves. As a result:
- Performance improves without constant escalation
- Trust builds across the team, reducing drama and infighting
- Turnover slows because people feel seen, supported, and respected
- Supervisors avoid burnout because they know how to set boundaries and still be effective
Empathy isn’t about being overly accommodating. It’s about knowing when to listen, giving honest feedback, and staying grounded during chaos.
Empathy Isn’t Innate. It Requires Practice.
Empathy at work differs from empathy at home or among peers, and most new frontline leaders lack a clear understanding of how to use empathy at work, especially in high-stakes, high-volume environments.
Empathy at work isn’t about being nice or solving people’s problems. It’s about:
- Listening without jumping in to fix
- Giving feedback clearly, even when it’s hard
- Balancing individual needs with operational goals
- Setting boundaries without seeming cold or dismissive
These are behaviors, not traits, and they can be learned.
University-Credentialed Certificate Programs For Frontline Leaders
Pathstream offers certificate programs that earn college credit from top-tier universities while helping frontline leaders learn about applying empathy at work.
Frontline leaders build confidence by working through common frontline scenarios, like delivering feedback, addressing underperformance, and managing stress. And it’s done in a flexible, guided format outside of work hours.
Help your frontline leaders develop and apply empathy.
Talk to a Pathstream strategist about what college credit certificate programs can help you support the goals of your frontline team.
