Why CEOs Are Hiring “Empathy Officers” in 2026

Five years ago, there was no such job description, but by the middle of 2026, almost half of all significant companies had chosen a Chief Empathy Officer. Some are from marketing or mental health, while others are from HR. Some had worked as therapists before. However, strategic value—rather than merely compassion—is what unites them. These hires aren’t merely sentimental. They are given genuine power, access to the boardroom, and a clear directive to enhance the company’s internal and external perception.

This movement appeared to be a transient response back in 2020. Companies had to say the correct things, stress levels were high, and offices were deserted. However, as employee expectations changed and hybrid work became more common, many CEOs came to see empathy as a performance lever rather than merely a crisis management technique. Eventually, what started out as a wellness experiment became into a leadership requirement.

One executive of a multinational insurance company stated that empathy “isn’t a retreat from performance—it’s a return to it.” His group had been buried with attrition reports for a full year. Customer satisfaction declined with each departure, turnover was costly, and morale was declining. When they established a new internal wellbeing unit under the direction of a former counselor, they discovered an oddity. Despite flat working hours, productivity stabilized, conflict decreased, and sick days decreased. Although it wasn’t spectacular, it could be measured.

At this point, the change seems especially appealing. Empathy no longer has a philosophical business case. It is useful. Companies with empathy-centered leadership report stronger employee trust and much lower burnout, according to data from the Executive Wellbeing Index, which is now in its sixth year. These same companies significantly enhance internal collaboration and beat industry averages in retention. In the face of constant demand to maintain culture while delivering value, empathy has become essential for CEOs.

All of this has an undercurrent of generational differences. Younger employees, particularly Gen Z and late millennials, have grown up discussing mental health in public. Instead of stifling emotional labor, they expect their employers to recognize it. Candidates are now asking more questions about psychological safety than they were about bonuses, according to one recruiter. It’s not that pay is insignificant. The reason is that culture can make or destroy a trade.

During an early 2025 leadership offsite, I recall an executive asking a straightforward question: “If empathy increases our bottom line, why do we still treat it like a personality trait and not a core function?” Nobody knew the solution. However, their business announced the appointment of its first Empathy Officer within a month. There was more to her title than just soft power. She had direct reports, a budget, and the power to examine managerial behavior measures. One of the most significant HR reorganizations they had carried out in a long time, to put it quietly.

The way this function fosters relationships both within and externally is really creative. It goes beyond employee involvement. To improve service design, empathy officers and customer experience executives now collaborate closely. Ultimately, your employees are unlikely to respond politely to grievances if they feel neglected. Empathy spreads downstream, into chatbot scripts, interface design, and product language. A customer service platform examined by a human behavior professional can be distinguished from one written by engineers.

In attempts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, empathy is also becoming increasingly important. Statements alone are insufficient as businesses struggle with the intricacy of establishing genuinely inclusive cultures. Businesses are realizing that persistent cultural change necessitates someone asking the awkward, frequently inconvenient questions on a regular basis. Furthermore, doing so from a position of wisdom rather than enforcing the law. An empathy officer, who serves as both a pressure valve and a cultural translator, frequently fills that role.

Through strategic alliances, particularly with startups in the mental health space, businesses are expanding their emotional infrastructure in ways that were not possible ten years ago. The change covers everything, from quiet spaces in high-stress workplaces to trauma-informed management training. The goal is to make sure that individuals don’t feel as though they must check a box at the door, not to turn the workplace into a therapy clinic.

The way that trust is being redefined is quite similar across industries. Conventional leadership prioritized confidence, clarity, and decisiveness. These days, how leaders handle their own and others’ vulnerability is another way to gauge trust. A manager conveys a message when they acknowledge that they are overburdened and ask for feedback instead of evading responsibility. It’s one of unity, not weakness. The people who currently hold the title of Empathy Officer in a silent capacity frequently help to enable this subtle change in tone.

Some CEOs have opposed the development because they believe it increases bureaucracy or dilutes focus. However, the outcomes speak louder to many. The Chief Heart Officer position at VaynerMedia has developed into a vital strategic partner during the years of employment. Particularly in mid-level positions where burnout tends to peak, retention is significantly higher. Customers appear to notice as well. One person remarked, “That place exudes energy.” “People seem to want to be there rather than merely be there out of necessity.”

Not only are these companies catching up, but they are also setting the standard by incorporating empathy into their business model. Furthermore, human-centered leadership is becoming the difference as AI technologies handle a greater portion of the transactional load. Decisions may be made by logic, but teams are sustained by empathy.

This function will probably grow much more in the years to come, particularly in sectors that used to take pride in their toughness. Law, finance, and logistics. Now that everything else can be automated, industries where emotional isolation was long considered a sign of professionalism are reassessing what true leadership looks like.

“People don’t leave companies,” stated a top executive. They quit non-listening managers. Surprisingly, more businesses are starting to pay attention to that statement and the following silence.