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Empathy at Work: Building an Empathic Organisational Culture (for Service Sector)

  • Human Resource
  • Innovation & Business Improvement
Next Intake: 9 Sep 2025 (Tue)
  • Intermediate
  • SkillsFuture
  • Short Courses
  • This module is part of Advanced Certificate in Service Strategy & Management

This programme is conducted online.

Next course starts on
9 Sep 2025 (Tue) See Full Schedule
Fee
SGD2,180* (as low as SGD254 after maximum funding) Learn More
Duration

2 days
Weekdays (9am - 6pm)

Level
Intermediate

Who Should Attend

This course is for professionals, managers and executives looking to:

  • Build customer trust and loyalty in a disrupted and competitive business landscape
  • Attract more customer compliments and reduce customer complaints 
  • Save time and energy by preventing and de-escalating problems customers may face
  • Enjoy better sales and increase customer retention
  • Employ empathy as a key workplace and skills differentiator in the digital economy
  • Build a conducive environment towards better health, more harmonious relationships and more meaning, purpose, joy and wellbeing at work

Overview

Empathy is the ability to connect with another person’s feelings, perspectives and needs, then take compassionate action in support of their welfare. Empathy shows you care for the customer as you acknowledge what is important to them. Communicating with empathy helps to develop trusting and respectful relationships. In this course, we also value internal customers – staff and colleagues who need empathy just as external customers do. Our approach has thus been called “holistic”.

Empathy is a game-changer, especially in an increasingly digital world where the human touch is vital. Within research findings in the last few years, the Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore by the Institute of Service Excellence has highlighted the rising importance of empathy as a critical driver for customer satisfaction and loyalty. In the 2017 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, empathy was also found to be one of the top three attributes of a successful customer service professional.

This module is available on a standalone basis.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain why empathy is a critical necessity for businesses and other organisations
  • Examine the strong association between empathy and wellbeing
  • Identify practical ways to enhance wellbeing at work
  • Describe how empathy can be extended to colleagues, thereby creating a positive culture from which empathy flows more naturally to external customers
  • Practise how to establish strong human connections and empathise with customers and other stakeholders in different situations, including challenging ones

Topic/Structure

  • Why Empathy Matters
  • Empathy and Care Towards Oneself (to build wellbeing)
  • Empathy to Colleagues (to build positive culture)
  • Empathy to Customers (to build customer loyalty through various service situations)

Assessment

As part of the requirement for SkillsFuture Singapore, there will be an assessment conducted at the end of the course. The mode of assessment, which is up to the trainer’s discretion, may be an online quiz, a group/ individual presentation or based on classroom exercises.

Participants are required to attain a minimum of 75% attendance and pass the associated assessment in order to receive a digital Certificate of Completion issued by Singapore Management University.

Calculate Programme Fee

Click here for more infomation about SkillsFuture Credits (Not applicable for Company-sponsored participants)
For PSEA - Available only for Singapore Citizen below 31 (Not applicable for Company-sponsored participants)

Total Program Fee: SGD0.00

Fee Table

COMPANY-SPONSORED

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

SELF-SPONSORED

SME

NON-SME

Singapore Citizen < 40 years old

Permanent Resident

LTVP+

$654

(After SSG Funding 70%)

$254

(After SSG Funding 70%
+ ETSS Funding 20%)

$654

(After SSG Funding 70%)

Singapore Citizen ≥ 40 years old

$254

(After SSG Funding 70%
+ MCES Funding 20%)

$254

(After SSG Funding 70%
+ ETSS Funding 20%)

$254

(After SSG Funding 70%
+ MCES Funding 20%)

International Participant

$2,180

(No Funding)

$2,180

(No Funding)

$2,180

(No Funding)

All prices include 9% GST

Please note that the programme fees are subject to change without prior notice.

Post Secondary Education Account (PSEA)
PSEA can be utilised for subsidised programmes eligible for SkillsFuture Credit support. Click here to find out more.

Self Sponsored

SkillsFuture Credit

Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above may use their SkillsFuture Credits to pay for the course fees. The credits may be used on top of existing course fee funding.

This is only applicable to self-sponsored participants. Application to utilise SkillsFuture Credits can be submitted when making payment for the course via the SMU Academy TMS Portal, and can only be made within 60 days of course start date.

Please click here for more information on the SkillsFuture Credit. For help in submitting an SFC claim, you may wish to refer to our step-by-step guide on claiming SkillsFuture Credits (Individual).

Workfare Skills Support Scheme

From 1 July 2023, the Workfare Skills Support (WSS) scheme has been enhanced. Please click here for more details.

Company Sponsored

Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS)

  • Organisation must be registered or incorporated in Singapore
  • Employment size of not more than 200 or with annual sales turnover of not more than $100 million
  • Trainees must be hired in accordance with the Employment Act and fully sponsored by their employers for the course
  • Trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
  • Trainees must not be a full-time national serviceman
  • Trainees are eligible for ETSS funding only if their company's SME status is approved prior to the course commencement date. To verify your SME's status, please click here. 

Please click here for more information on ETSS.

Absentee Payroll

Companies who sponsor their employees for the course may apply for Absentee Payroll here. For more information, please refer to:

AP Guide (Non-SME Companies)
Declaration Guide (SME Companies)

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Trainers

Isabel Vadivu Govind 
Founding Director
Inner Wealth
Isabel Vadivu Govind 
Founding Director
Inner Wealth
Isabel, Founding Director of Inner Wealth, transforms leadership and workplaces through consulting, training, and coaching. Specialising in socio-emotional intelligence, workplace wellbeing, and inspirational leadership, she draws from transformative experiences and formal education, including an Honours degree in Social Work and a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University. With over a decade of social change work, she emphasizes empathy and self-care, integrating them into holistic course designs. Vadivu holds certifications in therapeutic coaching, positive psychology, and team psychological safety facilitation. Co-author of a winning paper on empathy in the workplace, she received the 2018 Innovation Fellowship from the Royal Commonwealth Society of Singapore. Praised as a highly effective facilitator, her customised approach shapes.

Testimonials

The course answers my questions and is very relevant.
Ms Raudah Eryani
Academic Manager
Edufront Learning Centre Pte Ltd
Ms Vadivu is a very positive facilitator which makes the programme even more interesting. This programme helps me understand the importance of self-appreciation and empathy towards self and others, which I have never given much thought to. Thank you Ms Vadivu for her generous sharing with her personal stories and knowledge .
Ms Lee Bee Sze
Maybank Singapore
The workshop helps me build better connection with my colleagues and customers as we try to understand a situation from their perspective and react with compassion.
Ms Yu Ling Ling
Senior Customer Service Officer
Maybank Singapore
The course can help me be a better role model and take care of others better!
Mr Desmond Chan
Director
Bubbly Petz Pte Ltd

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