Every single human experiences death and loss at some point and yet our systems and organizations are not set up to be empathetic to those needs. When a loved one dies, not only are there a thousand logistical tasks like booking a funeral home, getting life insurance paid out, or canceling credit cards – you have to deal with all of this in the worst possible emotional state. The more employers can support their employees practically and emotionally during these difficult times, the better.
My guest, Ron Gura, put technology on the case to ease the burden for the bereaved. Today, we talk about the end of life market, the personal story of how this company came to be, how leaders can show up for the bereaved, what people now expect from their workplaces when dealing with major life events, and how the company itself embeds empathy into everything from product design to employee experience. We also talk about why mission-driven companies are poised to win – and how yours can, too.
Key Takeaways:
- Sympathy is just words and doesn’t mean anything. Empathy has power and potential to radically transform society.
- By putting yourself in your employees’ and consumers’ shoes at every step of the way, you don’t need to overthink what it means to have an empathetic culture.
- If your company and employees understand what it is that you are trying to do for your clients and, deep down, what it is that they need, the empathy will come and be infused in everything you do.
“If employers want to aim for long-term meaningful relationships with employees, then it’s not just going to be the cocktails and the big events, it’s also going to be that meaningful action that you do when things get rough, when I’m dealing with something that is bigger than me.” — Ron Gura
About Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO, Empathy:
Ron is a tech entrepreneur who has brought his love for developing empowering products to startups and major international corporations alike. He is co-founder and CEO of Empathy – Empathy was created with one mission in mind: to help families deal with loss. With a combination of technology and human support, the Empathy app helps families through all the financial, legal, emotional, and logistical challenges after losing a loved one.
Connect with Empathy and Ron Gura:
Website: https://www.empathy.com
Empathy recently released a report looking into the cost of dying in the US, financially, logistically, and emotionally. https://www.empathy.com/costofdying
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empathy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/empathy-com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empathyforfamilies/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empathy_com/
Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy
Connect with Maria:
Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.com
Learn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: 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
Twitter: @redslice
Facebook: Red Slice