Understanding Employee Resilience
Emily Shanks: What is resilience in the workplace?
Soha Chahine: Resilience in the workplace is all about how well employees handle tough situations, adapt to changes, and recover from setbacks. Kathryn McEwen’s Resilience at Work (R@W) framework describes it as the ability to handle everyday stress while staying healthy, adapting, and learning from setbacks. It’s about managing stress effectively, having strong support systems, and creating a culture where open communication is encouraged. McEwen’s approach shows that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back, but also being proactive and ready for whatever comes next.
ES: How can organizations assess and understand the resilience levels of their employees?
SC: To effectively assess and understand the resilience levels of their employees, organizations need to adopt a multi-faceted approach that combines qualitative and quantitative methods. This approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of both individual and collective resilience within the workplace. First, implementing scientifically validated surveys that measure key resilience aspects like stress management, adaptability, and emotional well-being offers valuable insights into both individual and collective resilience within the workplace.
Second, monitoring behavioral metrics, such as absenteeism and turnover rates, provides indirect indicators of resilience. High absenteeism and turnover often signal underlying issues, and incorporating resilience-related criteria into performance reviews can help assess how employees handle setbacks and maintain focus under pressure.
Third, conducting focus groups and one-on-one interviews can provide deeper insights into employees’ experiences and perceptions of resilience. These discussions often reveal issues not captured through surveys alone. Additionally, using 360-degree feedback from peers, subordinates, and supervisors offers a comprehensive view of an employee’s resilience, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement.
Addressing all of these methods simultaneously is important to cultivate resilience. While it will take time and effort, starting this work now will pay off later.
ES: Are there specific tools or assessments that provide accurate metrics and insight into resilience?
SC: Yes, there are specific tools and assessments that provide accurate metrics and insight into resilience. One of the most comprehensive and validated tools is the Resilience at Work (R@W) Toolkit developed by Kathryn McEwen. This toolkit includes several scales designed to assess resilience at different organizational levels, ensuring a holistic approach to building resilience. The R@W Scale is a scientifically researched measure of individual workplace resilience, published in the Journal of Environmental Medicine in 2011. It measures seven components that interrelate and contribute to overall resilience.
The R@W Individual Scale measures personal resilience across seven key areas, helping individuals understand their strengths and areas for improvement. This scale provides actionable insights to enhance overall resilience.
The R@W Team Scale assesses how well teams manage pressure, adapt to change, and support each other. It focuses on group dynamics, offering strategies to improve team cohesion and performance.
The R@W Leader Scale evaluates the behaviors of leaders that support resilience in their teams. It includes feedback from team members, highlighting key leadership practices that enhance both individual and team resilience.
These tools enable organizations to gain deep insights into resilience at individual, team, and leadership levels, facilitating targeted interventions to build a resilient workforce.
Resilience and Organizational Performance
ES: What role does training and development play in fostering resilience?
SC: Training and development are key to building resilience within an organization and extend beyond formal programs; it’s about creating a culture that truly values resilience. This involves using experiential learning that draws on cognitive-behavioral techniques to help employees develop self-awareness. Understanding how we respond to stress and learning coping mechanisms are the first steps in building resilience.
Implementing wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, and strong support systems also plays a big part. Wellness programs can include mental health resources and fitness activities, while flexible work arrangements might offer remote work options and flexible hours. These help employees manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Creating policies that promote psychological safety and open communication is crucial too. When employees feel safe to express their concerns and share ideas without fear, it creates a supportive environment that builds resilience. Coaching and mentoring are vital as well. Leaders who act as mentors can share their experiences and strategies for overcoming adversity, providing valuable insights and modeling resilient behaviors for others.
Building resilience isn’t a one-time effort. Senior management has a crucial role in championing training and development initiatives. Their genuine support is essential for allocating resources and fostering an environment where resilience can thrive.
ES: How does fostering employee resilience translate into better performance and productivity?
SC: Fostering resilience among employees directly boosts their performance and productivity. Think of resilient employees as those who can handle stress, adapt to changes, and bounce back from setbacks. They stay calm under pressure, quickly find solutions to problems, and learn from their experiences. This leads to higher engagement, job satisfaction, and less burnout.
A McKinsey study points out that resilient organizations don’t just recover from disruptions—they thrive. Resilient employees are generally more optimistic and curious, which enhances their problem-solving skills and creativity. This translates to better performance on the job.
On a broader scale, resilience positively impacts the entire organization. A resilient workforce is better equipped to deal with market changes, new technologies, and unexpected challenges. This adaptability reduces absenteeism and turnover, creating a more stable and productive work environment. Harvard Business School research shows that companies investing in resilience training see higher productivity and lower healthcare costs because resilient employees are healthier and less stressed.
Moreover, building resilience improves company culture. A supportive and inclusive environment boosts morale and helps retain employees. When employees feel valued and supported, they’re more engaged and committed, leading to long-term success and a competitive edge.
Leadership and Resilience
ES: How can leadership play a pivotal role in cultivating an environment that promotes resilience and agility?
SC: Leaders play a crucial role in fostering resilience and agility in the workplace. It’s all about setting the tone and leading by example. When leaders stay calm under pressure and learn from setbacks, it inspires their teams to do the same. This kind of behavior shows employees how to handle tough situations.
Creating a safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns and ideas without fear is essential. This kind of open communication builds trust and resilience within the team.
Providing resources like wellness programs and flexible work options helps employees manage stress and maintain a healthy balance. When people feel supported, they’re more equipped to handle challenges.
Encouraging continuous learning is also key. Leaders should promote training that builds skills like emotional intelligence and adaptability, helping employees stay resilient and agile.
Lastly, leaders who mentor their teams can share valuable experiences and strategies for overcoming adversity. This kind of guidance helps employees develop their own resilience.
Again, building resilience isn’t a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing commitment, and leaders are central to making it happen. By prioritizing resilience, leaders help their teams navigate uncertainties and come out stronger.
ES: How can leaders identify and support employees struggling with resilience?
SC: Leaders can identify employees struggling with resilience by paying close attention to changes in behavior and performance. If you notice someone who is usually punctual starting to come in late or call in sick more often, that could be a sign they’re struggling. Similarly, a drop in productivity or quality of work might indicate that an employee is finding it hard to cope.
Regularly checking in with your team on a one-on-one basis is crucial. These conversations provide a chance to pick up on issues that might not be immediately obvious. Look for signs of stress or fatigue, such as employees appearing unusually tired, withdrawn, or overwhelmed.
Non-verbal cues are also important. Body language can tell you a lot about how someone is feeling. If an employee who is normally engaged in meetings starts to seem distant or uninterested, it’s worth paying attention to.
Leaders should also be aware of the general work environment and any recent changes that might be affecting their team. Sudden increases in workload, tight deadlines, or recent organizational changes can all impact resilience. By staying engaged and approachable, leaders can spot these signs early and take steps to offer the necessary support.
