7 Reasons to Develop your Employees Resilience
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
― Maya Angelou
We all have times when things are difficult. It might be a particular incident or tragedy which delivers a single blow, or it could be a series of smaller events which, over time, grind you down. These knock-backs, disappointments or traumas usually evoke a range of negative emotions in us.
Unfortunately for us, these experiences are inevitable, both in our personal and our professional lives. However, the ability to adapt, recover, and bounce back in the face of these situations is what’s known as resilience. We can teach ourselves how to cope with challenges, problems, and setbacks, and to not only get through them, but become stronger because of them. Every setback is an opportunity for growth.
Resilient teams and organisations easily adapt to change and embrace the challenges that come their way. For this reason, investing in developing your employees’ resilience will have an impact on the performance of your business as a whole.
Not yet convinced? Below are 7 reasons why training your employees in resilience is beneficial all-round.
- Better communication. Those with good resilience are often more confident, they can bounce-back from failure and are more self-assured in their abilities and ideas. Self-confidence means employees are keener to contribute and share their ideas, so teams have the best possible chance at achieving the best results.
- Optimism when facing challenges. As mentioned, resilient people are often able to bounce back quicker, and therefore able to visualise the positive outcomes even when facing difficulties. This means employees can deal with challenges calmly, focusing on solving the problem in a constructive manner.
- Healthy environment. Employees and teams who can communicate productively and work together through challenges experience less friction. Healthy working relationships means staff will get to know each other better, even if only in a professional capacity. A better understanding of one another creates a healthier, friendlier environment all around.
- Productivity. By the same token, resilience is closely linked to wellbeing. Poor mental health and wellbeing is the leading cause of employee absence. Whilst resilience training cannot treat mental illness, and we do not wish to undermine the severity of the issue, developing employees’ resilience means developing their ability to adapt and recover in the face of difficulty. This reduces stress across your business, and in turn can reduce employee absence, thus improving ease of operations and productivity.
- Staff retention. Not only will a less stressful environment reduce absences but investing in resilience-building will also help you keep the best employees. Professionals who feel under less pressure in the workplace are less likely to look for a different job. Resilience reduces stress, and therefore your employees will not go looking for less stressful positions.
Similarly, as we often state across our articles and resources, employees who feel valued are more likely to stay at their job longer. When you invest time and energy into developing employee skills, they will recognise that their place in your business is appreciated. This means they will likely work harder for you and stick around longer.
- Adaptability. As discussed, resilient employees can face challenges better. This means your business as a whole can be more competitive. Industries can be unpredictable, and sudden changes or difficult times can result in some businesses failing. If your team can work productively in the face of challenges, and can adapt well to new environments, your business is much more likely to survive rough patches.
Furthermore, resilience encourages a growth mindset. This means employees will be keen to grow and develop themselves, making them more comfortable seeking tips and advice from others. This in and of itself improves the healthy environment discussed earlier.
- Feedback and Support. Looping back to the first point about confidence, resilient employees are more confident in their abilities, which means they are usually better at taking criticism without feeling targeted. This creates healthier channels for growth both within teams and across different levels of the business. Openness to feedback allows your senior employees to approach those who work for or below them with constructive advice that will be well received.
Ultimately, resilient employees and teams means a healthier, more productive workplace with strong teams who are confident in their own abilities and equipped to work with others to produce the best outcome in any situation.
Now we know how resilience can be helpful in your workplace, you probably want to know how to build that resilience with our employees. People use a number of different strategies to be, or become more, resilient. That’s where Trainer Bubble comes in.
Our ‘Developing Resilience’ e-learning course sets out to provide your learners with these strategies. Giving them everything they need to build their resilience and be better placed to face challenges that they might face at work and at home.
