# The Importance of Workplace Connection in the AI Era
Picture this: A talented employee, once highly engaged, is now merely going through the motions. Meetings feel transactional, conversations lack depth and something is missing, despite company efforts to boost morale. This scenario is playing out in workplaces worldwide, and according to Mimi Nicklin, founder and CEO of Empathy Everywhere, the culprit is a deepening “empathy deficit.”
“For three decades, we have watched the global empathy deficit deepen, creating wider gaps in connection, communication and emotional engagement across our workplaces,” Nicklin says.
At the same time, the field of psychology shows employers that “what we focus on grows. If we focus on what’s missing—the lack of understanding, and rising disconnection—we risk reinforcing it. But if we shift our attention to fill that gap and to create the understanding, belonging and psychological safety that all humans—and therefore, employees—need, we have a chance to rewrite the narrative.”
## The Power of Positive Psychology in the Workplace
Positive psychology, which focuses on human potential and wellbeing, provides a powerful framework to combat workplace disconnection. Nicklin highlights how this mindset shift can profoundly affect employee experience.
“In our workplaces, this impacts how employees feel, how included they perceive themselves to be and how they find meaning in their work,” she notes. “It directly impacts how they perform—not because they have to, but because they feel deeply connected to something bigger than their job description.”
This connection is crucial, especially in a world where 51% of the global workforce is actively seeking an exit from their current roles, and 52% of employees report feeling chronically lonely. The solution, Nicklin asserts, lies not in retention strategies or performance reviews but in fostering a culture of belonging. “The answer is in ‘listening-led leadership’—a leadership approach that connects our leaders to their people in understanding, curiosity and, yes, organizational empathy,” she adds.
Beyond happiness, positive psychology emphasizes meaning and purpose—two essential drivers of engagement. Nicklin points to an alarming statistic: Disengaging and presenteeism cost the global economy $8.8 trillion annually.
“People are looking for a way out. Not because they don’t want to work, but because work has lost its meaning for them,” she says.
## Three Key Strategies for Organizations
To reverse the trend of workplace disconnection, Nicklin recommends these critical approaches:
– **Set “purpose targets,” not just profit targets**: Employees need to see how their work contributes to something beyond financial returns. Work should feel meaningful, whether it is customer impact, community service or cultural transformation. In recruitment, this might mean highlighting how finding the right candidate transforms both the organization and the candidate’s life.
– **Create a culture of psychological safety**: Employees cannot fully engage or find meaning without psychological safety. Organizations that invest in psychological safety experience better collaboration, stronger alignment with company values and sustained performance. Recruitment teams that practice this internally often excel at identifying candidates who will thrive in the company culture.
– **Live your company values**: “Values are not what’s on the website; they are what can be felt in the hallways,” says Nicklin. Employees quickly recognize the difference between organizations that talk about inclusion and those that truly embody it. Recruitment professionals see this daily when candidates ask about culture during interviews — they’re looking for authenticity, not marketing.
## The Role of Empathy in an AI-Driven Future
As AI and automation reshape the workplace, empathy and human connection are more critical than ever. Nicklin emphasizes that AI is not here to replace humans but to reshape our work. “No matter how advanced technology becomes, the future of work will still be built on our ability to listen, connect, collaborate and truly understand each other.”
For recruitment professionals, this means leveraging AI for screening and coordination while preserving the human touch for relationship building and cultural assessment.
## Five Strategies for Organizations Preparing for the AI Shift:
– **Train leaders to listen more than they speak**: “AI can process data, but it can’t pick up on the exhaustion in someone’s voice or the hesitation in what they’re not saying.” Leadership training must prioritize deep listening skills. Recruitment leaders who excel at listening often build stronger teams and better understand candidate motivations.
– **Make psychological safety non-negotiable**: AI can streamline workflows, but it cannot create trust. Without psychological safety, employees would not take risks or innovate. Recruitment teams need this safety to voice concerns about hiring processes or candidate fit.
– **Build human-centric cultures**: With technology handling routine tasks, workplaces must become centers of belonging. Research shows that inclusion boosts performance by 56%, reduces turnover by 50%, and cuts sick days by 75%. Recruitment teams can champion this by designing inclusive hiring processes.
– **Measure engagement, not just productivity**: “AI will track productivity, but who’s tracking engagement? Who’s measuring how heard and valued people feel?” Nicklin challenges organizations to rethink what they prioritize. In recruitment, this means looking beyond time-to-hire metrics to measure candidate and hiring manager satisfaction.
– **Use AI with emotional intelligence**: Our interaction with AI reflects how we engage with each other. “Give this a go—ask ChatGPT something kindly and then abruptly. You’ll get two very different responses.” The way we communicate with AI mirrors our broader workplace culture. Recruitment teams using AI tools should approach them with the same respect they would show candidates.
## Key Takeaways for Recruitment Professionals
1. **Empathy drives retention**: In an era of high turnover, creating connection is your best retention strategy. Recruitment teams should partner with HR to build empathy into the entire employee lifecycle.
2. **Purpose outweighs perks**: Candidates increasingly prioritize meaningful work over fancy benefits. Help hiring managers articulate the purpose behind each role.
3. **AI complements human skills**: Rather than fearing automation, use AI to handle routine tasks while you focus on building relationships. The most successful recruiters combine technological efficiency with human connection.
4. **Psychological safety boosts hiring outcomes**: Teams that feel safe to speak up make better hiring decisions and create more welcoming environments for new hires.
5. **Values must be lived**: Candidates can quickly spot the difference between stated values and actual culture. Work with leadership to ensure recruitment practices truly reflect company values.
As organizations navigate the intersection of technology and human connection, the businesses that thrive will prioritize empathy. “The future of work isn’t AI or humans,” Nicklin concludes. “It’s AI with humans. Efficiency alone won’t make people stay. Empathy will.”
# The Importance of Workplace Connection in the AI Era
Picture this: A talented employee, once highly engaged, is now merely going through the motions. Meetings feel transactional, conversations lack depth and something is missing, despite company efforts to boost morale. This scenario is playing out in workplaces worldwide, and according to Mimi Nicklin, founder and CEO of Empathy Everywhere, the culprit is a deepening “empathy deficit.”
“For three decades, we have watched the global empathy deficit deepen, creating wider gaps in connection, communication and emotional engagement across our workplaces,” Nicklin says.
At the same time, the field of psychology shows employers that “what we focus on grows. If we focus on what’s missing—the lack of understanding, and rising disconnection—we risk reinforcing it. But if we shift our attention to fill that gap and to create the understanding, belonging and psychological safety that all humans—and therefore, employees—need, we have a chance to rewrite the narrative.”
## The Power of Positive Psychology in the Workplace
Positive psychology, which focuses on human potential and wellbeing, provides a powerful framework to combat workplace disconnection. Nicklin highlights how this mindset shift can profoundly affect employee experience.
“In our workplaces, this impacts how employees feel, how included they perceive themselves to be and how they find meaning in their work,” she notes. “It directly impacts how they perform—not because they have to, but because they feel deeply connected to something bigger than their job description.”
This connection is crucial, especially in a world where 51% of the global workforce is actively seeking an exit from their current roles, and 52% of employees report feeling chronically lonely. The solution, Nicklin asserts, lies not in retention strategies or performance reviews but in fostering a culture of belonging. “The answer is in ‘listening-led leadership’—a leadership approach that connects our leaders to their people in understanding, curiosity and, yes, organizational empathy,” she adds.
Beyond happiness, positive psychology emphasizes meaning and purpose—two essential drivers of engagement. Nicklin points to an alarming statistic: Disengaging and presenteeism cost the global economy $8.8 trillion annually.
“People are looking for a way out. Not because they don’t want to work, but because work has lost its meaning for them,” she says.
## Three Key Strategies for Organizations
To reverse the trend of workplace disconnection, Nicklin recommends these critical approaches:
– **Set “purpose targets,” not just profit targets**: Employees need to see how their work contributes to something beyond financial returns. Work should feel meaningful, whether it is customer impact, community service or cultural transformation. In recruitment, this might mean highlighting how finding the right candidate transforms both the organization and the candidate’s life.
– **Create a culture of psychological safety**: Employees cannot fully engage or find meaning without psychological safety. Organizations that invest in psychological safety experience better collaboration, stronger alignment with company values and sustained performance. Recruitment teams that practice this internally often excel at identifying candidates who will thrive in the company culture.
– **Live your company values**: “Values are not what’s on the website; they are what can be felt in the hallways,” says Nicklin. Employees quickly recognize the difference between organizations that talk about inclusion and those that truly embody it. Recruitment professionals see this daily when candidates ask about culture during interviews — they’re looking for authenticity, not marketing.
## The Role of Empathy in an AI-Driven Future
As AI and automation reshape the workplace, empathy and human connection are more critical than ever. Nicklin emphasizes that AI is not here to replace humans but to reshape our work. “No matter how advanced technology becomes, the future of work will still be built on our ability to listen, connect, collaborate and truly understand each other.”
For recruitment professionals, this means leveraging AI for screening and coordination while preserving the human touch for relationship building and cultural assessment.
## Five Strategies for Organizations Preparing for the AI Shift:
– **Train leaders to listen more than they speak**: “AI can process data, but it can’t pick up on the exhaustion in someone’s voice or the hesitation in what they’re not saying.” Leadership training must prioritize deep listening skills. Recruitment leaders who excel at listening often build stronger teams and better understand candidate motivations.
– **Make psychological safety non-negotiable**: AI can streamline workflows, but it cannot create trust. Without psychological safety, employees would not take risks or innovate. Recruitment teams need this safety to voice concerns about hiring processes or candidate fit.
– **Build human-centric cultures**: With technology handling routine tasks, workplaces must become centers of belonging. Research shows that inclusion boosts performance by 56%, reduces turnover by 50%, and cuts sick days by 75%. Recruitment teams can champion this by designing inclusive hiring processes.
– **Measure engagement, not just productivity**: “AI will track productivity, but who’s tracking engagement? Who’s measuring how heard and valued people feel?” Nicklin challenges organizations to rethink what they prioritize. In recruitment, this means looking beyond time-to-hire metrics to measure candidate and hiring manager satisfaction.
– **Use AI with emotional intelligence**: Our interaction with AI reflects how we engage with each other. “Give this a go—ask ChatGPT something kindly and then abruptly. You’ll get two very different responses.” The way we communicate with AI mirrors our broader workplace culture. Recruitment teams using AI tools should approach them with the same respect they would show candidates.
## Key Takeaways for Recruitment Professionals
1. **Empathy drives retention**: In an era of high turnover, creating connection is your best retention strategy. Recruitment teams should partner with HR to build empathy into the entire employee lifecycle.
2. **Purpose outweighs perks**: Candidates increasingly prioritize meaningful work over fancy benefits. Help hiring managers articulate the purpose behind each role.
3. **AI complements human skills**: Rather than fearing automation, use AI to handle routine tasks while you focus on building relationships. The most successful recruiters combine technological efficiency with human connection.
4. **Psychological safety boosts hiring outcomes**: Teams that feel safe to speak up make better hiring decisions and create more welcoming environments for new hires.
5. **Values must be lived**: Candidates can quickly spot the difference between stated values and actual culture. Work with leadership to ensure recruitment practices truly reflect company values.
As organizations navigate the intersection of technology and human connection, the businesses that thrive will prioritize empathy. “The future of work isn’t AI or humans,” Nicklin concludes. “It’s AI with humans. Efficiency alone won’t make people stay. Empathy will.”