Every Tuesday at All Nation Restoration, owner Ben Haugh makes sure the team sits down for a meeting. One of the recurring themes in these conversations is something you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a company that handles water, fire and mold damage restoration: the art of empathy.
It comes up often—especially when talking about walking into homes that catch you off guard. Sometimes it’s a hoarder situation, sometimes it’s just a level of disarray that’s hard for a young worker to process. And in those moments, empathy becomes not just important, but essential.
Ben put it this way:
“One of the things I’ve always loved about this industry is that, in that moment of difficulty, you see how people actually live. And you realize—you don’t know what’s going on in the rest of their personal life.”
For new team members, it can be a jarring experience. It’s easy to react with confusion or even judgment when you don’t understand why someone lives a certain way. But these homes—and the people inside them—carry stories most of us never see. And when strangers show up to start moving things around, especially in a crisis, it can trigger deep insecurities.
In a recent team meeting, Ben addressed this head-on, talking specifically about the challenges of working in a home owned by a hoarder.
“It’s a tough subject,” he said. “It’s hard for young men and women who go into these situations to understand why anyone would live like that. I remember the first time I worked in a home like this, I was alarmed, and confused, but I knew there was more to it than haphazard living, its tied to something deeper in a person. And when we start moving their things, it can feel to them like we’re judging them—even if that’s not our intent. It hits a nerve of vulnerability instantly.
So, what do you do?
According to Ben, you lead with empathy. You slow down. You talk to the client, bring them into the process, and show them that you care. And most of ALL you do not judge. “You let them know they’re in charge. You respect their space, and their place,” he said.
Restoration work means entering people’s lives during emergencies they never imagined they’d be in. Their homes, their routines, their privacy—it’s all suddenly exposed. For some, it’s humiliating. For others, it’s terrifying.
That’s why having these conversations as a team—out in the open—is so important.
“Yeah, there are times in the meetings,” Ben admits, “I see the shrugs, the smug looks. But after we start that conversation, I see my employees relax and realize—we’re all human. Our clients’ reactions, our reactions as workers—it’s not because we’re bad people. We’re human. And being human, let’s face it, is complicated and hard.”
Ben often points to one of his team members as an example: Bryan. He’s someone who works closely with both the office staff and field teams, and he consistently earns some of the best client reviews.
“And the reason?” Ben says with a grin. “Because Bryan is compassionate, understanding, and makes the client feel important and unjudged.”
That kind of presence is a real asset in a company that works directly with the public. “Gosh, I wish I could replicate him,” Ben laughs. “Nobody had to teach Bryan empathy—that’s just in his DNA. But for the rest of us? Empathy is something we learn. And that’s fine. I believe it can be learned.”
Another great example? Ben brings up Chris, the company’s General Manager. There’s a long time client of All Nation Restoration who will only allow Chris into his home.
Why? Because this client carries deep vulnerabilities and has made it clear, he doesn’t want to expose anyone else to his home and private issues—and that’s something the team has learned to respect.
“Is it a normal occurrence? No,” Ben says. “But sometimes, understanding these situations is part of putting our best foot forward, and passing on kindness and understanding.”
When asked how it feels to be that trusted person, Chris just smiled.
“It’s totally cool,” he said. “I get it. And honestly, we’ve built this relationship on trust. This client is so kind—I can’t imagine ever saying no.”
For Ben Haugh, the most important part of running All Nation Restoration isn’t just about fixing homes—it’s about building a team rooted in empathy. He believes in teaching his staff to bring every ounce of compassion they can muster into each situation, even in the toughest, most emotionally charged environments. And just as importantly, he creates space for his employees to talk about it when the work becomes overwhelming—because at the heart of it all, this job is about humanity.
“The true measure of who we are as workers is empathy and humility,” Ben says. His hope is that this commitment not only defines the work they do, but defines them as people—and, in turn, makes a lasting impact on the community they serve.
Stay Driven, Stay Focused and Stay in Business -Benjamin Haugh
