Why we collect this
People are convinced by stories, boards by numbers. When someone asks why an organisation should invest in compassion, this is the page we send them.
Every claim links to its source. Four numbers to start with:
Only 21% of employees are engaged
According to Gallup's 2025 report, only 21% of employees worldwide are engaged. Gallup estimates the cost at $9.6 trillion in lost productivity, 9% of global GDP. Earlier Gallup research shows how much managers matter: when they ignore their people, 40% are actively disengaged; when they focus on weaknesses, 22%; when they focus on strengths, 1%.
Psychological safety is the number one factor
Google's study of 180 teams found that how people work together matters more than who is on the team, and that psychological safety is the most important of five factors. A meta-analysis across 22,000 people links psychological safety to learning, information sharing and creativity.
Empathy drives innovation
Research among 6,713 managers in 38 countries found that managers whose staff rate them as more empathic are also rated higher on performance by their own boss. Catalyst's study of 900 employees in the US found that people who see their senior leaders as highly empathic are more than twice as likely to be engaged (76% versus 32%) and nearly five times as likely to be innovative (61% versus 13%).
Diversity only pays off with safety
Boston Consulting Group found that companies with above-average diversity in management report 19% higher innovation revenue. Research by Henrik Bresman and Amy Edmondson shows that diverse teams perform worse than homogeneous ones when psychological safety is low.
Compassion is one of four things people need from a leader
Gallup asked people in 52 countries what the most influential leader in their life gives them. The answers fall into four needs, the same across countries and generations: hope, trust, compassion and stability. Stability, in Gallup's description, is knowing that you can bring your questions and concerns to your leader. That is psychological safety in other words.
