peoples hands stacked together CEOs say they struggle with consistently exhibiting empathy in the workplace. Employees agree, saying that their peers typically are more empathetic than their CEO. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Employers are starting to get it: showing empathy toward their workers increases morale, engagement and productivity. But in the eyes of workers, there's still a gap between what their employers say and what they actually do, according to Businessolver's State of Workplace Empathy Study.

Indeed, 92 percent of CEOs say their organization is empathetic, but only 72 percent of employees say they work for an empathetic employer — down 6 percent from previous years, according to the fourth annual survey of how employees, HR professionals, and CEOs perceive empathy in U.S. employers.

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Katie Kuehner-Hebert

Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.