Empathy: Superpower Tersembunyi Bagi Gen Z untuk Menembus Gerbang Dunia Kerja
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61132/jimakebidi.v2i4.983Keywords:
Empathy, Generation Z, Workplace, Emotional Intelligence, LeadershipAbstract
Generation Z is entering an increasingly dynamic and competitive workforce, where technical skills alone are no longer sufficient for achieving success. Social and emotional skills, particularly empathy, have become key to building effective and sustainable relationships. This article presents a literature review exploring empathy as a “hidden superpower” for Gen Z to navigate the gateway to the professional world. The research method employed is a systematic literature study, analyzing scholarly articles, journals, and recent publications related to empathy, leadership, emotional intelligence, and multigenerational interactions in the workplace. The analysis indicates that empathy strengthens interpersonal relationships, fosters trust, and supports effective communication, while also enhancing leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence development, and organizational sustainability. Empathetic Gen Z individuals are better equipped to navigate cross-cultural interactions, handle work pressure, and balance digital and emotional intelligence, making it a unique social and competitive capital. These findings highlight the importance of developing empathy as a strategic competency in education and soft skills training to support career success and organizational resilience in the global work era.
Downloads
References
Jin, J., & Ikeda, H. (2023). The role of empathic communication in the relationship between servant leadership and workplace loneliness: A serial mediation model. Behavioral Sciences, 14(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010004
Jonsdottir, I. J., & Kristinsson, K. (2020). Supervisors’ active-empathetic listening as an important antecedent of work engagement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 7976. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217976
Lajante, M., Del Prete, M., Sasseville, B., Rouleau, G., Gagnon, M.-P., & Pelletier, N. (2023). Empathy training for service employees: A mixed-methods systematic review. PLOS ONE, 18(8), e0289793. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289793
Linvill, J. S., & Onosu, G. O. (2023). Stories of leadership: Leading with empathy through the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability, 15(9), 7708. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097708
Luetke Lanfer, H., Reifegerste, D., Weber, W., Memenga, P., Baumann, E., Geulen, J., Klein, S., Müller, A., Hahne, A., & Weg-Remers, S. (2024). Digital clinical empathy in a live chat: Multiple findings from a formative qualitative study and usability tests. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 314. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10785-8
Ma, G., Wu, W., Liu, C., Ji, J., & Gao, X. (2024). Empathetic leadership and employees’ innovative behavior: Examining the roles of career adaptability and uncertainty avoidance. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1371936
Malviya, L., & Gupta, V. (2022). Empathy, autonomy, and trust critical for organizational culture in a hybrid workplace. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2022(1). https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2022.11284abstract
Mehler, M., Balint, E., Gralla, M., Pößnecker, T., Gast, M., Hölzer, M., Kösters, M., & Gündel, H. (2024). Training emotional competencies at the workplace: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 718. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02198-3
Muhammad Amrullah, Didin Hikmah Perkasa, & Rahmat Edward. (2025). Gen Z and the future of work: Adapting HRM strategies for a digital workforce. Jurnal Ekonomi Manajemen Sistem Informasi, 6(3), 1835–1843. https://doi.org/10.38035/jemsi.v6i3.4053
Muss, C., Tüxen, D., & Fürstenau, B. (2025). Empathy in leadership: A systematic literature review on the effects of empathetic leaders in organizations. Management Review Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-024-00472-7
Nkup, Y. N., Jide, O. N., Habila, M., Tijjani, M. A., & Bentu, R. (2024). The role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness during organizational crisis among secondary schools on the plateau. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, VIII(XI), 337–347. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8110028
Paredes-Saavedra, M., Vallejos, M., Huancahuire-Vega, S., Morales-García, W., & Geraldo-Campos, L. (2024). Work team effectiveness: Importance of organizational culture, work climate, leadership, creative synergy, and emotional intelligence in university employees. Administrative Sciences, 14(11), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14110280
Popaitoon, P. (2022). Fostering work meaningfulness for sustainable human resources: A study of Generation Z. Sustainability, 14(6), 3626. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063626
Ringwald, W. R., & Wright, A. G. C. (2021). The affiliative role of empathy in everyday interpersonal interactions. European Journal of Personality, 35(2), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2286
Saleh, M. S. M., Abd-Elhamid, Z. N., Afit Aldhafeeri, N., Ghaleb Dailah, H., Alenezi, A., Zoromba, M., & Elsaid Elsabahy, H. (2024). Appreciative leadership, workplace belongingness, and affective commitment of nurses: The mediating role of job crafting. Journal of Nursing Management, 2024(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/2311882
Salem, M. R. M. (2025). Designing future-ready workplaces: How Gen Z’s preferred work type influence retention intention; mediating role of perceived autonomy in Malaysian SMEs. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 211. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00643-2
Schwartzkopf, C. T., Alves, R. T., Lopes, P. C., Braux, J., Capucho, F., & Ribeiro, C. (2025). The role of training and education for enhancing empathy among healthcare students: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. BMC Medical Education, 25(1), 469. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07038-5
Setyako, S. D., Rahma, S., Rizal, Y., & Veranita, M. (2024). Pengembangan soft skill dan hard skill di era digital: Sebuah tinjauan sistematis. Jurnal Pendidikan, Humaniora, Linguistik dan Sosial (JAGADDHITA), 3(1), 22–25. https://doi.org/10.58268/jg.v3i1.168
Thompson, N. M., van Reekum, C. M., & Chakrabarti, B. (2022). Cognitive and affective empathy relate differentially to emotion regulation. Affective Science, 3(1), 118–134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-021-00062-w
Vallette d’Osia, A., & Meier, L. L. (2024). Empathy in the workplace: Disentangling affective from cognitive empathy. Occupational Health Science, 8(4), 883–904. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-024-00197-9
Wieck, C., Kunzmann, U., & Scheibe, S. (2021). Empathy at work: The role of age and emotional job demands. Psychology and Aging, 36(1), 36–48. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000469
Yılmaz, B., Dinler Kısaçtutan, E., & Gürün Karatepe, S. (2024). Digital natives of the labor market: Generation Z as future leaders and their perspectives on leadership. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1378982
Zahra, Y., Handoyo, S., & Fajrianthi, F. (2025). A comprehensive overview of Generation Z in the workplace: Insights from a scoping review. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 51(0). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v51i0.2263
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jurnal Inovasi Manajemen, Kewirausahaan, Bisnis dan Digital
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
