Development of an Organizational Compassion Model Based on Employee Behavior in Service-Oriented Organizations: A Content Analysis Approach

Introduction

Employee behavior in service-oriented organizations plays a critical role in service quality and client satisfaction. This behavior encompasses effective interactions, empathy, prompt responsiveness, and commitment to resolving client concerns. Employees with positive attitudes and high motivation can create favorable experiences for clients and contribute to enhancing organizational reputation (Bae et al., 2019; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024).

Compassion, defined as an emotion arising when observing others’ suffering and motivating assistance (Bae et al., 2019; Goetz et al., 2010), plays a pivotal role in improving service quality and increasing client satisfaction in service-oriented organizations. In such organizations, employees frequently encounter situations requiring empathy, understanding, and effective responses to clients’ concerns and anxieties. The relevance of compassion has been demonstrated across diverse domains, including philosophy (Nussbaum, 1996), political science (Whitebrook, 2002), healthcare (Martins et al., 2013), and psychology (Goetz et al., 2010; Neff, 2003). These studies indicate that compassion is not merely an individual trait but an organizational factor capable of enhancing organizational citizenship behaviors, increasing employee commitment, and improving client experience. In essence, cultivating an organizational culture grounded in compassion enables employees to address client issues with greater responsibility and motivation, fostering relationships based on mutual trust and respect (Ghavami et al., 2023; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024). Given the inherently relational nature of service organizations, understanding and nurturing compassion at the organizational level can significantly contribute to service quality improvement, increased client satisfaction, and enhanced psychological well-being among employees (Ghavami et al., 2023).

Previous studies have conceptualized individual and interpersonal compassion among employees as organizational compassion, focusing on its unintended emergence and procedural dimensions (Madden et al., 2012). However, these studies have largely overlooked how service-oriented organizations—entities where human interactions play a central role—can intentionally and systematically establish practices, procedures, and norms related to compassion. In such organizations, management can strengthen the culture of compassion through organizational interventions and fostering constructive interactions between employees and managers by designing and overseeing these practices (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024). This is particularly crucial in service organizations that require continuous interaction with clients and stakeholders. Consequently, examining the structured and intentional aspects of compassion as organizational compassion capacity is essential for advancing theory and practical applications of compassion in service environments (Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Qaedi, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023; Dutton et al., 2007; Dutton et al., 2014; Dutton et al., 2006).

Specifically, organizational compassion capacity in service-oriented organizations can facilitate and improve work processes while supporting managers in achieving organizational goals. This not only leads to more efficient and developed organizations but also provides sustainable competitive advantage and superior performance in the service industry through the establishment and reinforcement of distinctive compassion-oriented routines and practices that are difficult for other companies to replicate (Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023). Understanding and investigating these approaches without a deep comprehension of the cultural values of service-oriented organizations would be challenging. Despite the significance of organizational compassion as an organizational capacity, limited research has operationalized this phenomenon in service organizations. This limitation arises because most related studies have been conceptual or relied on qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023; Lilius, Kanov, et al., 2011; Lilius et al., 2008; Lilius, Worline, et al., 2011). Although these conceptual and qualitative studies have provided valuable insights into the role of compassion in service-oriented organizations, they primarily serve as a foundation for future research and limit the generalizability of findings, which is essential for empirical studies. Moreover, while some prior studies have empirically examined compassion in service organizations, they have predominantly measured it as a unidimensional variable. For instance, Lilius et al. (2008) developed a three-item unidimensional scale to assess experienced workplace compassion (Lilius et al., 2008). This measurement tool, widely used in numerous studies (Akgün et al., 2025; Moon et al., 2016; Moon et al., 2014), is valuable but primarily designed based on employees’ perceptions of others rather than compassion as an organizational capacity. As Lilius et al. (2008) noted, this tool does not incorporate a capacity-oriented approach, which is particularly important in service-oriented organizations where compassion plays a central role in employee interactions and service delivery (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023; Shahzad & Muller, 2016).

Specifically, since compassion experienced at the individual level (based on autonomy) differs from compassion at the organizational level (based on collective values and norms) in service-oriented organizations, using a unidimensional variable cannot fully encompass the broad scope of compassion-related experiences and actions. In service environments where human interactions are fundamental, compassion is not merely an individual reaction but a organizational process rooted in organizational culture, values, and practices (Mirzai & Zarei, 2024). Chatterjee et al. (2021) implicitly emphasized this point, stating that focusing on a single dimension cannot reflect the complexities of organizational compassion (Chatterjee et al., 2021). Therefore, the conceptual scope of organizational compassion capacity—which likely encompasses a wide range of employee behaviors and managerial approaches—would be constrained within a unidimensional framework (Stirzaker et al., 2021; Yitshaki et al., 2022). In service-oriented organizations, where high-quality service delivery necessitates empathy, emotional support, and coordination among employees, examining organizational compassion capacity through a multidimensional framework appears essential. Such an approach enables more comprehensive and practical analysis, helping service organizations develop appropriate strategies to promote compassion in the workplace (Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Qaedi, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023; Guinot et al., 2020).

In this study, adopting a multidimensional perspective of organizational compassion capacity allows researchers to examine this concept beyond an individual experience and explore the diverse potential dimensions of compassion capacity in service-oriented organizations. Additionally, this perspective assists managers in these organizations to develop more effective methods for enhancing compassion in the workplace (Wlodarczyk et al., 2023). In service organizations where employees interact directly with clients and other stakeholders, a deeper contextualization of this concept (i.e., examining how compassion functions within the organizational context) can provide a better understanding of the complex phenomenon of organizational compassion (Baluku et al., 2024; Zamani et al., 2021). Furthermore, this multidimensional approach supports theoretical development and refinement in the field of organizational compassion capacity, as it presents complex concepts through simpler abstractions and facilitates more precise connections between broader predictors and wider outcomes (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023; Chatterjee et al., 2021).

In this regard, Simpson and Farr-Wharton’s (2017) study stands out as a notable exception, operationalizing organizational compassion across four dimensions: attention, empathy, assessment, and response (Simpson & Farr-Wharton, 2017). This scale has also been utilized in empirical studies (Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Qaedi, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023). However, this scale primarily focuses on collective compassion and interpersonal interactions among colleagues and is more suitable for evaluating compassion in workgroups and small organizations (Ghavami et al., 2023). In contrast, this scale does not address how compassion is institutionalized throughout the organization through policies and organizational culture, and thus cannot fully assess organizational compassion capacity in service-oriented organizations. Additionally, the absence of an operational framework for organizational compassion capacity, coupled with contextual limitations in existing literature on organizational compassion, presents a challenge. Previous empirical studies in this domain have primarily been conducted in hospitals (Lilius et al., 2008), universities (Dutton et al., 2007; Dutton et al., 2014; Dutton et al., 2006), and specific departments of healthcare centers (Lilius, Kanov, et al., 2011; Lilius et al., 2008; Lilius, Worline, et al., 2011). Given that these organizations often operate under a social service-oriented philosophy, their employees tend to exhibit more compassionate behaviors. In contrast, in for-profit service-oriented organizations, where employees are more influenced by economic and competitive objectives, the level of organizational compassion may differ. While some studies have examined compassion in organizations, such as entrepreneurial compassion (Akgün et al., 2025; Akgün et al., 2023; Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Qaedi, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023; Stirzaker et al., 2021; Yitshaki et al., 2022), these studies have predominantly focused on the individual level (e.g., social entrepreneurs) rather than analyzing compassion at the organizational level. Therefore, as Madden et al. (2012) emphasized, findings from previous studies may not be fully generalizable across different types of organizations, particularly for-profit service-oriented organizations (Madden et al., 2012). Consequently, researchers require broader empirical studies to precisely redefine and operationalize the concept of organizational compassion capacity. In this context, the present study aims to address the question: How can an organizational compassion model based on employee behavior in service-oriented organizations be developed?

Methods and Materials

The purpose of this study is to present an organizational compassion model based on employee behavior in service-oriented organizations. This research is descriptive-analytical in terms of data collection methods and inductive-deductive in terms of research approach. Participants in the qualitative thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke (2006) were purposively selected through interviews with 19 academic experts and knowledgeable individuals in the field of employee behavior in service-oriented organizations, who had relevant publications and over 15 years of experience. Initial interview questions were developed through a literature review of books, articles, and related research. Prior to each interview, the researcher provided participants with an explanation of the topic and research objectives, then requested their responses to the interview questions. The researcher respectfully requested participants to determine their preferred interview times to ensure they could fully engage in the interviews. Additionally, the researcher recorded all interviews using audio recording and note-taking for subsequent analysis. After transcribing participants’ responses into written text, the process of analyzing both explicit and implicit information from the statements and writings began. The aim of this process was to extract the components of organizational compassion based on employee behavior in service-oriented organizations using a qualitative thematic analysis approach. Interview text analysis was conducted using MAXQDA software.

Findings and Results

As shown in Table 1, of the total 19 participants, 10 (53%) were male and 9 (47%) were female; 11 (58%) held a doctorate and 8 (42%) held a master’s degree; 1 (5%) had 10–15 years of work experience, 8 (42%) had 16–20 years, and 10 (53%) had over 20 years of experience; 1 (5%) was under 40 years of age, 13 (69%) were aged 40–49, and 5 (26%) were 50 years or older.

All qualitative thematic analysis stages, following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) approach, were conducted in six phases. In Phase 1, the researcher transcribed all recorded interviews onto paper, listened to each interview again, and compared it with the handwritten notes to ensure no details were omitted. The handwritten notes were then typed into Microsoft Word, and the entire dataset was reviewed once more. Phase 2, the generation of initial codes, began when the researcher transferred the typed interview transcripts into MAXQDA software and performed coding, resulting in 378 initial codes. In Phase 3, selective coding was conducted by eliminating incomplete, irrelevant, or redundant codes, reducing the total to 55 core themes. No new codes were identified in Interviews 17, 18, and 19, indicating data saturation. Phase 4 involved the identification of 12 sub-themes from the 55 core themes. Phase 5 commenced when a coherent visual representation of the sub-themes was achieved. In this study, the definition and naming of overarching themes, along with the preparation of the thematic analysis report, were based on the categorization of themes into core, organizing, and overarching themes. Table 2 and Figure 1 present the extracted sub-themes (also referred to as organizing themes), which were grouped into six overarching themes: Organizational Perception and Human Sensitivity (Awareness of Employee Suffering, Organizational Empathy); Compassionate Management Response (Managerial Support, Compassionate Justice); Organizational Action and Intervention (Formal Supportive Actions, Compassionate Problem-Solving); Culture and Institutionalization of Compassion (Supportive Culture, Compassionate Leadership); Collective Compassion and Interpersonal Relationships (Peer Support, Human Communication); and Behavioral and Psychological Outcomes (Individual Outcomes, Organizational Outcomes).

Figure 1

Final Conceptual Model of the Study

Discussion

The primary objective of this study is to develop an organizational compassion model based on employee behavior in service-oriented organizations, employing a qualitative thematic analysis approach. Consequently, the overarching framework of this research has been systematically and methodically structured to elucidate this concept.

Organizational Perception and Human Sensitivity within the organizational compassion model is cultivated through active understanding and responsive addressing of employee needs and suffering, fostering empathy between managers and employees, and strengthening human interactions. Timely identification of psychological stressors and personal circumstances of employees, attention to signs of declining motivation and energy, and provision of a safe space for expressing concerns enable the implementation of preventive interventions and personalized support. Simultaneously, fostering mutual understanding among organizational members, avoiding hasty judgments, and attending to the emotional dimensions of formal interactions enhance trust, psychological safety, and performance quality. This sensitivity and empathy empower managers to make flexible and human-centered decisions, ensuring coordinated and supportive organizational responses. Furthermore, continuous attention to employee well-being and satisfaction strengthens a positive organizational culture and individual and collective resilience, thereby increasing employee loyalty and commitment. Comparative analysis of prior studies confirms that both awareness of employee suffering and organizational empathy play complementary roles in reinforcing organizational compassion. Mirzai and Zareei (2024), Dehghanizadeh and Babayevazadeh (2022), and Akgün et al. (2025) emphasize the importance of timely detection of psychological stress and monitoring employee well-being as prerequisites for compassionate behaviors (Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024). Conversely, Lown et al. (2020) and Baluku et al. (2024) demonstrate that managerial empathy and avoidance of hasty judgments, particularly during crises, enhance psychological well-being, commitment, and organizational resilience (Baluku et al., 2024; Lown et al., 2020). These findings corroborate theoretical and practical convergence between domestic and international studies regarding the impact of organizational perception and human sensitivity on compassionate behaviors.

Compassionate Management Response within the organizational compassion model centers on active and fair support for employees. Managers, by understanding challenging work conditions, providing practical and emotional support, and introducing flexibility in scheduling and performance expectations, preserve employees’ psychological resources. Active managerial accessibility for dialogue and follow-up on employee status creates a secure environment for expressing concerns and provides continuous feedback, reinforcing employees’ sense of value and organizational belonging. Concurrently, fair decision-making with explanations, equitable workload distribution, respectful treatment even in punitive situations, and avoidance of discrimination in support provision enhance employee trust and satisfaction. This approach reduces stress and burnout, elevates individual and collective resilience, and improves organizational performance. In essence, compassionate management response is a continuous, human-centered, and systemic process that preserves employee dignity and establishes the foundation for compassionate behaviors within the organization. Prior research confirms that managerial support and compassionate justice both positively and synergistically enhance psychological well-being, resilience, and positive organizational behaviors. Dehghanizadeh and Babayevazadeh (2022) and Mirzai and Zareei (2024) emphasize the importance of direct support and flexibility in management (Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024), while Lown et al. (2020) and Baluku et al. (2024) highlight its role in reducing stress and increasing belonging and organizational citizenship behaviors (Baluku et al., 2024; Lown et al., 2020). Similarly, Moon et al. (2014) and Shahzad and Muller (2016) validate the effectiveness of compassionate justice in building trust, transparency, and preventing burnout (Moon et al., 2014; Shahzad & Muller, 2016). Poetian et al. (2023) and Akgün et al. (2025) further demonstrate that the integration of these two dimensions serves as an effective mediator in improving psychological well-being and organizational commitment (Akgün et al., 2025; Pestian et al., 2023). These findings underscore significant convergence between domestic and international studies regarding the pivotal role of compassionate response and justice within the organizational compassion framework.

Dimensions of Organizational Action and Intervention focus on institutionalizing support and enhancing employee well-being through formal policies and programs that guarantee access to psychological support, flexible leave, and work-life balance. These actions increase individual and organizational resilience by predicting resources during crises and responding promptly to issues, thereby preventing stress escalation and burnout. The compassionate problem-solving approach emphasizes system and process improvement rather than blame, strengthening employees’ sense of ownership and responsibility through active participation in solution-finding. Organizational learning from errors and sharing lessons learned facilitate continuous improvement and prevent recurring issues. Reforming harmful processes and designing preventive mechanisms demonstrate the organization’s commitment to human well-being and reinforce a culture of trust, psychological safety, and sustainable performance. Research confirms that organizational compassion, through the integration of formal policies and compassionate behaviors, positively impacts employee well-being, commitment, and organizational behaviors. Mirzai and Zareei (2024) link compassion to rumor management, Dehghanizadeh and Torabi Zadeh (2023) reduce the effects of knowledge hiding (Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024), and Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al. (2023) highlight its role in resilience and spirituality (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023). International studies also emphasize the capacity dimensions of compassion, formal supportive actions, and crisis resource prediction (Akgün et al., 2025; Akgün et al., 2023; Lown et al., 2020; Moon et al., 2016; Moon et al., 2014; Pestian et al., 2023). Similarly, compassionate problem-solving, with its focus on employee participation, learning from errors, and process reform, enhances psychological safety, resilience, and organizational innovation (McAllum et al., 2023; Shahrokh et al., 2021), underscoring the complementary and impactful role of these mechanisms in creating strategic advantage.

Supportive Culture and Compassionate Leadership institutionalize human values and promote empathy, justice, and dignity, transforming compassionate behaviors into organizational norms. Creating psychological safety enables employees to express concerns and mistakes without fear, facilitating learning and innovation. Peer-supportive behaviors and mutual respect foster informal support networks that enhance resilience and organizational belonging. Continuous role modeling by senior managers converts compassionate behavior from policy to operational norm, reinforcing human-centered conduct, ethical accountability, and attention to human resource well-being. Middle managers, by emulating compassionate leaders, implement compassion in daily interactions, while alignment between managers’ personal values and organizational human values naturalizes and sustains compassionate behavior. This combination strengthens trust, psychological safety, and a robust organizational culture, improving performance, commitment, and well-being. A review of prior studies confirms that research (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023; Akgün et al., 2025; Akgün et al., 2023; Baluku et al., 2024; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024; Oriol et al., 2023; Paakkanen et al., 2021) validates the importance of organizational compassion in improving psychological well-being, resilience, spirituality, commitment, and positive organizational behaviors. Findings indicate that institutionalizing human values, psychological safety, peer-supportive behaviors, mutual respect, managerial role modeling, and alignment of personal and organizational values transform compassion into a sustainable and effective norm. These findings emphasize the strategic role of organizational compassion in mitigating negative effects of rumors, knowledge hiding, and stress management, demonstrating that the integration of supportive culture and compassionate leadership enhances employee performance and well-being.

Dimensions of Peer Support and Human Communication emphasize the creation of informal and horizontal support networks among employees, which enhance team resilience and psychological well-being through mutual support, voluntary collaboration, and reduction of destructive conflicts. These relationships foster a sense of belonging and cohesion, generating intrinsic motivation for participation and collective loyalty while institutionalizing a collaborative culture. Concurrently, effective human communication includes respectful dialogue, information transparency, active listening, and sharing concerns without fear, which strengthen trust, psychological safety, and organizational learning. These two-way interactions reduce power and information gaps, transforming employees into active partners in problem-solving and continuous process improvement. A supportive and empathetic environment enables the expression of concerns and mistakes, preventing organizational crises. Human interactions not only improve productivity and service quality but also reinforce positive and socially responsible employee behaviors. A review of prior studies confirms that the collective and relational dimensions of organizational compassion, through enhancing mutual support, voluntary collaboration, conflict reduction, and strengthening belonging and cohesion, simultaneously improve psychological well-being and organizational commitment (Abdollahzadeh Qavaglu et al., 2023; Akgün et al., 2025; Akgün et al., 2023; Baluku et al., 2024; Lown et al., 2020; McAllum et al., 2023; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024; Oriol et al., 2023; Paakkanen et al., 2021; Zamani et al., 2021). These dimensions also facilitate innovation and organizational learning through respectful dialogue, transparency, and active listening, strengthening employee engagement (Pestian et al., 2023; Shahzad & Muller, 2016).

Organizational compassion outcomes, through strengthening supportive and compassionate behaviors, contribute to reduced occupational burnout and increased psychological well-being among employees, creating a positive psychological environment for effective performance and client interactions. These mechanisms enhance job satisfaction by fostering a sense of fairness and value, thereby increasing employee motivation and engagement. Furthermore, organizational investment in employee well-being strengthens emotional commitment and encourages voluntary organizational citizenship behaviors and collaboration beyond formal duties. With reduced psychological stress and increased resilience, the intention to leave decreases, preserving workforce stability. Additionally, positive emotional states and mutual support among employees improve service quality delivered to clients and enhance organizational productivity. Organizational compassion, through the integration of individual and collective support, compassionate culture, and human leadership, simultaneously elevates both employee well-being and organizational performance, functioning as a strategic factor in creating sustainable competitive advantage. A review of prior studies confirms that organizational compassion reduces occupational burnout and increases psychological well-being and job satisfaction (Dehghanizadeh & Babayi Zadeh, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Qaedi, 2022; Dehghanizadeh & Torabi Zadeh, 2023; DeLury et al., 2020; Hashemi, 2018; Mirzai & Zarei, 2024), while simultaneously strengthening emotional commitment, organizational citizenship behaviors, and reducing turnover intention, thereby improving organizational performance and service quality (Baluku et al., 2024; Lown et al., 2020; McAllum et al., 2023; Moon et al., 2016; Moon et al., 2014). These findings demonstrate that the integration of individual and collective support, compassionate culture, and human leadership transforms organizational compassion into a strategic asset that simultaneously enhances employee well-being and organizational productivity (Akgün et al., 2025; Akgün et al., 2023; Pestian et al., 2023).

Conclusion

To strengthen Organizational Perception and Human Sensitivity, managers can systematically identify employee psychological stressors through periodic monitoring tools and individual well-being meetings to detect stressors before they escalate into crises. Manager training in recognizing signs of occupational burnout and implementing recovery and task rotation programs prevents stress escalation and motivation decline. Person-centered flexible policies, such as optional shift schedules or temporary goal adjustments, integrate human conditions into organizational decisions. Establishing two-way support systems with active listening and transparent feedback creates a secure and confidential space for expressing work and personal concerns. Additionally, practical experience for managers in frontline employee roles and temporary cross-unit exchanges enhance mutual understanding and genuine empathy. Finally, designing root cause analysis protocols without blame and redesigning formal meetings with interactive well-being assessments institutionalize psychological safety and attention to employee emotions.

To strengthen Compassionate Management Response, managers must actively intervene in operational crises by participating in urgent tasks and fairly distributing resources across teams to ensure employees feel genuine support. Designing participatory flexible shift schedules and flexible task scheduling enables work to align with personal responsibilities, enhancing perceived fairness. Performance goals must be adjusted for specific employee circumstances to maintain motivation and effective engagement. Managers should allocate emergency time for employee discussions and provide focused, clear responses to increase accessibility. Transparent and honest explanations of difficult decisions to employees reduce ambiguity and strengthen organizational trust. Furthermore, respectful treatment even in punitive situations, accompanied by improvement and mentoring programs, preserves individual dignity and institutionalizes a compassionate support culture.

To strengthen Organizational Action and Intervention, formal supportive policies should be developed, including phased return-to-work programs, rapid access to tailored psychological support and counseling services for specific service units, ensuring employees receive timely support when facing harm or burnout. Establishing an emergency ticketing system with rapid prioritization for reporting individual, technical, or interpersonal issues guarantees prompt responses and reduces crisis likelihood. Implementing blame-free review sessions and a knowledge bank of instructive errors facilitates organizational learning and increases psychological safety. Forming participatory work groups to find practical solutions to problems transforms employees from passive recipients to active participants in decision-making. Compassionate redesign of key processes to reduce stress and eliminate unnecessary steps creates a more human-centered and efficient work environment. Additionally, predicting supportive resources during individual and collective crises, including emergency funds and rapid service networks, ensures timely and effective intervention actions.

To institutionalize a compassion culture in service-oriented organizations, human values must be integrated into all organizational processes, including recruitment, performance evaluation, and rewards, with regular sharing of success stories of employees exhibiting compassionate and supportive behaviors to make values tangible. Establishing secure and confidential channels for reporting employee concerns and ensuring formal follow-up increases psychological safety and trust in the organization. Programs encouraging peer collaboration and recognizing supportive behaviors strengthen team spirit and positive interactions. Leaders must demonstrate human-centered behavior through direct and sincere presence in work environments, reducing power distance to allow employees to experience their humanity. Allocating budget and specific policies for employee psychological and physical well-being demonstrates the organization’s commitment to human resource well-being. Additionally, evaluating and rewarding middle managers based on compassionate behaviors and conducting mentoring programs led by senior managers ensure the emulation and continuity of a supportive and compassionate culture across organizational levels.

To strengthen Collective Compassion and Interpersonal Relationships in service-oriented organizations, establishing a peer support system is essential, enabling trained employees to provide informal and confidential support to colleagues experiencing work or emotional stress, thereby preventing crises. Second, developing a voluntary inter-unit collaboration framework and using an internal platform to record employee readiness to assist colleagues, with participation incentives, transforms supportive behaviors into organizational norms. Third, conducting conflict management workshops based on realistic service scenarios and forming employee-selected adjudication committees reduce interpersonal conflicts and create fair solutions. Additionally, designing employee-led innovative group projects and celebrating their success strengthen organizational belonging and cohesion. In the realm of human communication, implementing a communication etiquette charter and conducting monthly role-playing workshops institutionalize respectful dialogue.

To improve behavioral and psychological outcomes in service-oriented organizations, implementing a periodic burnout monitoring system with short monthly questionnaires is essential to identify physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms, enabling timely interventions such as temporary client adjustments or job coaching. Second, creating daily recovery spaces, such as quiet rooms equipped with simple relaxation tools and mindfulness exercises, helps employees regain psychological calm after challenging interactions. Third, enhancing job satisfaction and emotional commitment through direct and rapid feedback on service successes and involving employees in impactful decision-making, such as frontline advisory councils, increases their sense of value, emotional attachment, and motivation to deliver high-quality services, while simultaneously reducing turnover.

Authors’ Contributions

All authors have contributed significantly to the research process and the development of the manuscript.

Declaration

In order to correct and improve the academic writing of our paper, we have used the language model ChatGPT.

Transparency Statement

Data are available for research purposes upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to all individuals helped us to do the project.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Funding

According to the authors, this article has no financial support.

Ethical Considerations

In this research, ethical standards including obtaining informed consent, ensuring privacy and confidentiality were observed. This article is derived from the first author’s specialized PhD thesis at Tankabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tankabon, Iran. The thesis topic was approved by the University of Islamic Azad, Tankabon Branch, Research Council with code 162364714 on July 4, 2025.