Self-Compassion in Organizations: An Integrative Review and Future Research Agenda

Despite increased interest in understanding how compassion positively contributes to organizational outcomes, little organizational research has acknowledged the compassion individuals give to themselves in times of failure, inadequacy, or hardship. This review describes self-compassion, defined as the compassionate way individuals relate to themselves in instances of perceived failure, inadequacy, or suffering, and its theoretical underpinnings; illustrates ways in which self-compassion may manifest in organizations; and discusses how organizational influences may affect how employees experience self-compassion. I identify underexplored research areas in the field and provide recommendations for future research to further develop the scholarly work surrounding self-compassion in organizations.