What Good is Compassion at Work?

This paper presents two views on the effects of compassion at work. The first view presents a quantitative model, indicating that experienced compassion relates to employee and organizational outcomes. Through analysis of compassion stories, the second view reveals mechanisms through which compassion has its effects, uncovering how acts of compassion are cues for sensemaking about the self, co-workers, and the organization. Together, the two views provide evidence that acts of compassion at work create important effects.