We identified 17 actionable guidelines based on our 6Cs study. These guidelines focus on leveraging the positive effects of empathy to enhance software development practices, foster better collaboration, and improve outcomes. Additionally, they aim to support the mental health and well-being of practitioners by emphasising the benefits of empathy and addressing the challenges that arise from its absence.

To derive these guidelines, we conducted a detailed analysis of the strategies identified during our 6Cs study. We considered:

• Participant support: We examined how frequently and consistently participants endorsed specific strategies, and prioritised those that received broad support for inclusion.
• Significance of relevant causes of lack of empathy: he guidelines were mapped to the causes of lack of empathy identified in the study. Strategies that addressed multiple or highly prevalent barriers were given precedence, as they offer broader utility and greater impact.
• Prevalence of causes of lack of empathy: The prevalence of causes of lack of empathy was assessed by the number of participants who identified each cause during the study. The causes reported by a larger number of participants were considered more significant, and strategies addressing these prevalent causes were prioritised.

The strategies were also analysed for their feasibility and practical implementation at different levels including practitioner, managerial, and organisational.