Empathy Management in the Covid-19 Telework Era:

Proposing a Communication Model and Examining a Practical Method

Abstract

The shift to telework, which had been slow even after reform of work styles, was accelerated by Covid-19. Many companies began to use videoconferencing services such as Zoom as the primary means of internal and external communication during telework. However, as external factors have forced adoption of videoconferencing, there is little knowledge of its characteristics and limitations as a communication medium, and many companies are still in a state of exploration. Studies of computer-mediated communication compared to face-to-face have pointed out that empathy, which is the heart of emotional labor (Hochschild, 1983), is inhibited (Grondin et al., 2019). To maintain the same level of empathy in telework as in past interactions, there is a need to monitor and manage the empathy of other persons through the screen. There are limits to what can be learned about empathy in online lectures, training sessions, conferences, and events through traditional post-event surveys. Therefore, this study proposes a method to monitor the empathy of participants immediately and over time in the flow of a videoconference or webinar, examines the validity and effectiveness of the approach, and summarizes the practical implications and directions for future research.