In recent months, empathy has been trending with millions of hits and views on the topic. Employees are demanding greater empathy to support their wellbeing, and leaders and organizations are responding by seeking to demonstrate cultures of compassion. But empathy comes with some rather significant problems argues sociologist Tracy Brower. When misused or misunderstood it can lead to poor choices, disempowerment, burnout, and arguably could even contribute to terrible phenomena like human trafficking.  

It’s important to know the focus on empathy is justified. A study by Catalyst found when leaders are more empathetic, people tended to be more innovative, engaged and likely to stay with their company. In addition, research published in Evolutionary Biology found cooperation increased when empathy was introduced into decision making processes.

And employee wellbeing was also related to empathy, according to a study by Qualtrics. The research found when leaders were perceived as demonstrating more empathy, people reported better mental health and said they could bring themselves more fully to their work.

But with all the positive data about empathy, it also has limitations. We want a society that is fair, objective and just—and for those ends, empathy isn’t the best moral guide. In fact, it can lead to poor decision-making.

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Empathy can also lead to exhaustion or burnout if people identify too greatly with others’ suffering.

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We also want a society in which people are kind and compassionate, who do the right thing and act constructively toward others. And while empathy is related to all of these, it is not the only fuel for these pro-social behaviors. Empathy is a good thing, but it isn’t everything—and it’s important to recognize the pitfalls, problems and unintended consequences that can come with it.