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Key Takeaways

Avoidance might protect short-term performance, but it quietly erodes trust, engagement and long-term results.

Empathy isn’t a soft skill — it’s a strategic advantage that builds stronger, more resilient teams.

As I write this article, here is the reality: according to a recent Conference Board survey, the share of consumers who viewed jobs as “hard to get” increased to a five-year high in February 2026, though households also believed the availability of jobs had improved. Labor market data shows that the median duration of unemployment is near four-year highs, and jobs remain scarce for young college graduates.…