Businesses will deal with challenging situations. Obstacles. Barriers. There is a vast array of disruptions that are reshaping the business landscape in fundamental ways. COVID-19 is the prime example. Disruptions are not a new phenomenon however, good businesses need to always be prepared.
It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to deal with it.
What is resilience?
Resilience is the capacity to prepare for, recover from and adapt in the face of stress, challenge, or adversity. In terms of a business- the team can quickly adapt to disruptions while maintaining continuous business operations.
In my experience in leading teams and training team leaders- the true leaders are the ones who recover from a negative situation. How they, and their teams, deal with the situation and how they bounce back.
"If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I have had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." Michael Jordan
True leaders work with a team to do exactly that- work out how to climb over or go through a “wall”. Leaders prepare their teams to build resilience to deal with any situation. It’s no coincidence that the organisations who have been the most successful are the ones who invested in resilience.
Resilience can be achieved through a combination of factors. Integral though, is to take a proactive approach and focus on wellbeing.
Wellbeing
It’s vital to have a healthy workplace fostered through the wellbeing of the employees. Achieving a work/life balance is paramount for an individual to build up resilience at work. With emails 24/7 and technology ever-present this can be hard to maintain. There is the tendency to work longer hours and never truly “clock off”. Yet, this plays a huge part in our wellbeing- both physical and mental.
To be able to bounce back from stressful situations- to be resilient- employees need to have time to relax, unwind and recuperate. Burnout, stress, and anxiety are the enemies of resilience.
Mental health has become a prominent issue recently and its at the forefront of most peoples concerns.
In a 2018 survey from Peldon Rose they found-
72% of employees want employers to champion mental health and well-being.
This is rated as more important than equality (48%), sustainability (38%) and diversity (31%).
This is the case for all generations, who prioritize mental health and well-being above all other causes - Gen Z (76%), Millennials (73%), Gen X (75%), Baby Boomer (56%)
With such a focus on mental health, leaders need to ask -are employees coping? If they are not, then leaders need to look at ways to get them to in the mindset to move forward. Leaders have a social and moral responsibility to consider if a team member is under a lot of stress.
Signs of stress can include:
· Lack of communication
· Exhibiting negativity or anger
· Coming to work or meetings late or missing them entirely
Recognition of such signs and engagement with team members will improve wellbeing. Checking in with them regularly with questions that are respectful and gentle. Prompts such as “is everything alright?” Getting constant feedback from team members is essential.
Employee wellbeing can be actively encouraged through positive messaging and actions around:
· Sleep
· Nutrition
· Movement
There are simple steps that can be easily incorporated into the team culture.
Ensuring all employees take lunch breaks and leaving their desks during this time. Encouraging healthy snacking. Taking regular breaks- even for a three-minute walk around the office. Reinforcing that emails and phones need to be switched off at night to allow the mind to wind down before bed and getting a restful night’s sleep.
Managing wellbeing – physical and mental - proactively is the foundation for resilience.
To find out more or see how we can assist you build a resilient business please email Performance Shift: info@performanceshift.com.au