HR Management & Compliance

Building Employee Resiliency

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s certainly that life comes with unexpected challenges. Individuals who are resilient are more likely to stay the course and get through life’s challenges, so building this skill can be greatly beneficial. For employers, having resilient employees can be quite beneficial, too. Here are a few reasons workplace resiliency is important:

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  • Being resilient helps us cope better with stressful situations.
  • Employers with a resilient workforce are likely to continue to perform well during difficult times.
  • Employees who are resilient can handle the ups and downs that come with the job and are therefore less likely to leave at the first signs of frustration. This can mean reduced turnover and positively impact organizational costs.
  • People who are resilient are more likely to look for innovative solutions, which could result in an improvement in a company’s products or processes.
  • When resiliency is built in at an organization, its employees are more likely to support and help one another and are less likely to quickly get burnt out.

A resilient workforce is an asset to any organization, but how can employers impact their teams’ resiliency? Fortunately, there are several things employers can do to help build this skill. For example:

  • Train your management team to support employees when they’re under stress. Simply knowing someone is there to help you can go a long way toward getting through a difficult situation.
  • Managers should also be trained to take employee concerns seriously.
  • Encourage employees to form good working relationships with coworkers, who can be a source of support.
  • Consider offering training on the soft skills that impact resiliency.
  • Implement a mentoring program to promote social support.
  • Consider adding programs to your benefit structure that help employees feel supported during stressful situations, such as:
    • Financial wellness training or assistance
    • Employee wellness programs
    • Employee assistance programs
  • Assess how your organization’s values are communicated, both publicly and internally. Employees who share their organization’s values are more likely to be motivated to weather difficult times with the company.
  • Communicate often, especially during times of change, when resiliency is necessary. But employers can reduce uncertainty and make their employees feel more secure by communicating often.

Resiliency can be cultivated, and it’s in an organization’s best interest to help employees build this skill. Does your organization do anything to proactively cultivate resiliency? What has your experience been?

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