The ROI of Being Heard: Empathy, Engagement, and Effective Change

We are living through a workplace era defined by transition: restructures, mergers, hybrid rollouts, mass resignations, and culture audits. And yet, even as we invest in change management frameworks, we too often overlook the human infrastructure that makes or breaks those transitions. Through ongoing conversations with founders, HR leaders, and executives navigating burnout, I’ve seen firsthand how empathetic communication isn’t a “nice-to-have”; it’s the key that unlocks trust, engagement, and resilience in uncertain times.

I came to this work from an unlikely background, not from the C-suite, but from the courtroom. For over 16 years, I worked in trauma-informed legal advocacy, supporting survivors of domestic violence and complex family law cases. What I learned was this: no matter how sound the legal advice, if someone didn’t feel heard, they often couldn’t move forward. That insight became the seed for what I now do at Seacoast Listening Lounge, a wellness practice built entirely around empathetic, professional listening.

I didn’t know at first how transferable this work would be to organizational settings. But over the past year, in conversations with executives and leaders, I’ve noticed a pattern: they don’t necessarily need coaching or therapy; they need space. Space to say what they can’t say elsewhere. Space to be human in roles that reward stoicism. Space to think out loud without being judged or fixed.

The same holds true for their teams. As leaders attempt to navigate shifting business models and team structures, one consistent barrier emerges: their people don’t feel seen in the process. Employees don’t resist change; they resist being sidelined in it.

Empathetic communication changes that. And it’s not just a philosophy, it’s backed by data. According to Catalyst, 76 percent of employees whose managers demonstrate empathy feel engaged at work. When empathy is absent, that number drops to just 32 percent. A 2023 study by Ernst & Young found that high-empathy companies experience 83 percent higher revenue compared to their peers. And managers who receive active listening training see a 30 percent boost in employee satisfaction and up to a 25 percent increase in collaboration and productivity.

Empathy is measurable. Listening is scalable. And both are deeply underleveraged in how we lead change.

At Seacoast Listening Lounge, I often ask clients a question that stops them cold: “How do you want me to listen to you today?” It’s not a trick. It’s an invitation. Some want feedback. Others want a quiet space held. Some don’t know, and that’s okay, too. But even asking the question signals that their experience matters.

Imagine bringing that same question into an organization mid-transition. Instead of relying solely on surveys or town halls, leaders could begin by asking their people how they want to be heard, before they’re asked to adapt, pivot, or restructure. What if feedback loops were truly two-way? What if listening wasn’t just a soft-skill checkbox, but a hard-wired leadership behavior?

Empathetic communication isn’t about over-accommodating or slowing things down. It’s about reducing resistance by increasing agency. It’s about turning “you’ll be fine” into “tell me what you need.” It’s about replacing command-and-control with presence and partnership.

And presence is powerful. When leaders show up not with answers, but with curiosity, they create the conditions for trust. Trust creates psychological safety. Psychological safety fuels engagement. And engagement is the difference between a team that gets through change and one that grows because of it.

Listening in a Hybrid World

One challenge I see more frequently now is the absence of nonverbal cues in virtual communication. When people are on mute, cameras off, or speaking through chat threads, so much of the nuance in tone, posture, and emotion gets lost. Listening, true listening, requires attunement to what’s being said and what’s not. That’s hard to do in a hybrid or remote environment.

But it’s not impossible. In fact, hybrid work has made listening more important than ever. When teams are dispersed, leaders must become intentional about carving out space to hear what would’ve otherwise surfaced casually, in hallway conversations, team lunches, or even body language in a boardroom. That might look like one-on-one “listening sessions,” anonymous voice channels, or building reflective prompts into project check-ins.

In a distributed workplace, empathetic communication must be designed into the system, not left to chance.

Recommendations for Leaders

For those looking to bring more listening into their leadership approach, especially during times of organizational change, here’s where to begin:

1. Ask before you act. Before launching a new initiative or announcing a shift, ask your team: “What’s coming up for you?” or “What would make this easier to navigate?” Build before-and-after reflection into change cycles.

2. Name how you’re showing up. It’s okay to say, “Today, I’m here to listen, no fixing, no defending.” This sets the tone for trust and reduces defensiveness.

3. Create rituals for voice. Listening doesn’t have to be spontaneous. Build it into your operations. Host a monthly “Unload Hour” where anyone can raise concerns, vent, or share ideas. Make it part of the fabric.

4. Train for silence. Listening means resisting the urge to jump in, solve, or pivot. It requires sitting in silence, letting ideas breathe. Practice holding that space.

5. Normalize emotional fluency. Invite your teams to bring emotional language into the workplace: stress, excitement, frustration, hope. The more they can name what they feel, the more you can respond effectively.

Empathetic leadership isn’t about being soft; it’s about being real. It’s about showing up when it’s uncomfortable. And it’s about creating the kind of workplace where people don’t just comply with change, they trust it.

That’s the quiet revolution I’ve been privileged to witness. It doesn’t make headlines. It doesn’t demand fanfare. But it reshapes cultures, one honest, human conversation at a time.

Because people don’t just want to be led, they want to be heard.

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Erin Snow is a transformative listening strategist who turns the art of hearing into a powerful tool for personal and professional empowerment. As the founder of Seacoast Listening Lounge, she has pioneered a revolutionary approach that goes far beyond passive hearing—creating a sanctuary where women can not just survive, but truly reclaim their narrative and inner strength. With 16 years of frontline experience as a legal advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, Erin has witnessed firsthand the life-changing power of authentic, compassionate listening.

A trailblazer in her field, Erin made history as the first paralegal in New Hampshire to represent clients directly in family court, breaking down barriers and challenging traditional legal paradigms. Her unique background bridges trauma-informed legal advocacy with deep emotional intelligence, giving her an unparalleled ability to create safe, transformative spaces for healing and growth. Whether you're an organization seeking to revolutionize your communication culture, a leader looking to deepen team dynamics, or an individual ready to rediscover your voice, Erin Snow offers more than a service—she provides a pathway to genuine, transformative connection.