Why Empathy Matters in the Workplace
Taking care of staffers during the pandemic is just as important as strong customer support.
Billhorn cited CDW’s robust, around-the-clock effort to shift more than 7,000 workers into home office settings within 48 hours during the earliest days of the pandemic — plans that were crucial to guide clients facing the same hurdles.
“Our customers needed us,” Billhorn said. “How can we help each other even though we can’t be next to each other?”
Internally, she said, CDW has taken steps to provide virtual counseling services for its own teams, grow an in-house alliance network for Black employees, and offer donations to COVID-19 relief efforts and staff-chosen charities.
The company also offered its own clients virtual face time with CDW’s chief human resources officer to learn best practices for transitioning to remote work and safety tips for packing up a shared office space — an effort designed to foster peace of mind.
In the end, a culture of empathy can offer value to any element of business.
“It’s not just about product and services solutions” to meet new challenges, Billhorn said. “It’s also about what we can do around financing options, planning rollouts as your stores open back up — to be as flexible as we can, given your circumstances. We want you to be our customer after this is over. That way, everybody wins.”
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