What is resilience at work?
Resilience at work means navigating and bouncing back from challenges, setbacks or unexpected changes without little disruption. That might involve an employee staying calm and quickly resolving a problem or fixing a mistake and recovering from it quickly.
Importance of resilience at work
Benefits of having resilient employees include:
- High productivity: Resilient team members stay on track and don’t let roadblocks slow them down, so work productivity stays high.
- Adaptability: Being adaptable helps employees keep up with shifting demands, industry changes or other situations. Your company may gain a reputation as one that handles adversity well.
- Innovation: The ability to tackle change or difficulty often leads to innovation. Resilient employees think on their feet and develop new solutions when things don’t go as expected. Being an innovative company helps you get ahead in your industry.
- Recovery from setbacks: Resiliency can help your team members recover when they make a mistake or encounter a problem. That quick recovery time makes it easier to meet deadlines without extensively delaying projects.
- Positive environment: A positive outlook on situations typically comes with resilience, which fosters a positive work environment for all team members.
- Improved collaboration: Resilient people tend to work well with others. They know how to collaborate and deal with unexpected situations. Increased teamwork supports productivity, creativity and problem-solving.
- Increased job satisfaction: Resilient people who manage stressful situations well tend to experience higher job satisfaction. They often know how to practice self-care and avoid burnout .
Resilience training at work
Resilience training at work teaches individual skills and methods to help employees become more adaptable, reduce stress and improve problem-solving. With these skills, your employees can better adapt to difficult situations. The training often focuses on a mindset to overcome negative thoughts when encountering a challenge. It also teaches coping skills for those situations.
What’s included in resilience training?
Resilience training at work takes many forms. You can customize it to fit your employees’ needs or areas of improvement. Some examples of covered topics may include:
- Stress management techniques
- Growth mindset
- Problem-solving strategies
- Emotional management techniques
- Skills for dealing with challenging customers or colleagues
- Physical health topics, such as exercise and sleep
- Balancing work and personal challenges
- Communication skills
Offering resilience training to your team
Work with your team to evaluate how resilient your workforce is. Identify areas where they have room for improvement. For example, if your team struggles to adapt to sudden changes in project scope or deadlines, they might benefit from resilience training focused on adapting to change, improving communication under pressure and developing problem-solving skills
Resilience training is often an ongoing process. Plan sessions throughout the year, with each focusing on a specific component of resilience. Revisit those topics in team meetings, employee newsletters and other forms of communication to remind employees to implement them.
6 ways to improve resilience at work
In addition to resilience training, the following ideas may help your employees bounce back quickly on the job.
1. Encourage autonomy
Empowered employees who have the freedom to make decisions, solve problems and fix mistakes on their own learn to become more resilient. When they have little control or decision-making power, they may not learn how to effectively overcome challenging situations. They might also lose motivation to improve resiliency because they’re not given the authority to correct situations.
2. Respond to mistakes appropriately
Mistakes and failures happen, especially when your team takes risks. Positively approach these situations to encourage resiliency. Discussing where the efforts went wrong and motivating employees to improve next time guides them on how to be resilient. Instead of feeling discouraged by their mistake, they learn from the experience.
3. Set a resilient example
When you’re working toward creating a resilient workforce, start from the top down. Your leadership team sets the example of how to handle difficult situations. Employees learn resiliency and adaptability by watching their managers practice those skills.
4. Support work-life balance
To be resilient, individuals need to maintain emotional and physical wellbeing. That’s easier when they maintain a healthy work-life balance. Encouraging employees to take time off, and leave work at the office are ways you can promote this balance. When your team feels more mentally and physically prepared, they can better manage challenging situations at work.
5. Give employees what they need
Giving employees the tools, resources and support they need makes it easier to be resilient. For example, say your team finds a critical bug in the software they’re developing. If you have communication and collaboration software in place for the team, they can quickly communicate as a team and figure out their next move.
Talking to your employees is an effective way to figure out what they need. During one-on-one meetings, ask employees what tools and support should be added for success in their roles.
6. Provide resources for stress relief
Learning to manage stress is a part of being resilient. If your employees have difficulty with stress, consider ways to help them. Examples can include:
- Yoga sessions and exercise groups: Offering yoga sessions and exercise groups, either in-person or via virtual platforms, can help employees maintain physical and mental well-being.
- Morning meditation and calming music: Incorporating morning meditation sessions and playing calming music throughout the day can set a peaceful tone and reduce anxiety.
- Quiet, calming spaces: Create a quiet, calming room in the office where employees can go to reset and recharge. For remote employees, suggest setting up a dedicated space at home for relaxation if possible.
- Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Provide access to EAPs, which offer confidential support for personal and work-related issues. EAPs can include counseling, legal assistance, financial advice and other resources.
- Encouraging regular breaks: Promote the importance of taking regular breaks to avoid burnout . Encourage employees to step away from their desks, take short walks, or engage in a quick relaxation exercise.
- Workload management: Help employees manage their workloads by setting realistic deadlines, prioritizing tasks and ensuring they have the resources they need. Encourage open communication about workload concerns.
- Remote work considerations: For remote teams, ensure they have access to the same stress management tools. Virtual wellness programs, online resources and regular check-ins can help remote employees feel supported and connected.
- Flexible work arrangements: Offer flexible work hours or remote work options to help employees balance their professional and personal lives better, reducing overall stress levels.
Providing these stress management tools helps your employees learn how to regulate stress levels. This empowers them to become more resilient in work and personal situations.
FAQs about resilience at work
How can you tell if your employees are resilient?
Resilient employees bounce back quickly when they face adversity or setbacks. They can complete work tasks under pressure or difficult circumstances. It’s easier for resilient employees to regroup and change directions to complete projects and goals while keeping the overall vision in mind.
Which types of work require resilience?
Resilience at work benefits employees in all industries and positions. However, it can be particularly important in stressful and fast-paced careers, such as those with tight deadlines or high-stakes decision-making responsibilities. It’s also beneficial for work that changes constantly or when there’s a high level of conflict in the work environment.
