Building empathy | Judge sentences abusive customer with unusual punishment, with key HR lessons

Empathy within the workplace should be a constant concern for HR professionals. Recognizing that each individual you deal with has unique circumstances influencing their actions is essential to creating a supportive workplace.

A striking example of the need for empathy occurred in Ohio recently when Emily Russell, a Chipotle worker, fell victim to a violent attack. An enraged customer, Rosemary Hayne, upset that her order was reportedly made incorrectly, threw a hot bowl of food in her face, causing distress and prompting the worker to leave her job.

However, it's not the incident that holds a key lesson for HR; it's the outcome.

Last week, Hayne was found guilty of assault and faced a choice between jail time and a unique opportunity for empathy. Judge Timothy Gilligan presented the option to Hayne during her sentencing, asking if she wanted to "walk in [Russell's] shoes for two months and learn how people should treat people" instead of serving time behind bars.