Episode 22: How Do Employees Maintain Resilience?

In this episode of the Steps to Change podcast, host Allen Liedke is joined by Anike Bello to explore the crucial topic of resilience in the workplace. They discuss the definition of employee resilience, its importance, and practical examples of resilience in action.

The conversation delves into the Steps to Change model and how it can be used to enhance company culture and sustain improved resilience over time. Read on to learn more about employee resilience and discover how it can be improved and maintained at your company.

Resilience in employees refers to their ability to manage stress, adapt to changes, and recover from setbacks in a healthy and constructive manner. This capability is crucial in maintaining personal well-being and professional performance, enabling individuals to navigate workplace challenges effectively. In organisations, resilience plays a pivotal role in sustaining productivity and fostering a positive work environment.

Resilient employees are better equipped to handle pressure, maintain focus, and contribute to their teams, even in adverse situations. This not only enhances individual performance but also strengthens overall team dynamics and morale.

Building and maintaining resilience within a workforce is essential for businesses, as it reduces absenteeism, mitigates the risks of burnout, and promotes a culture of support and collaboration. By investing in resilience development, organisations can ensure a more adaptable, engaged, and high-performing workforce, ultimately driving long-term success and stability.

The stress bucket analogy is a useful tool for understanding how individuals manage stress and resilience. Imagine a bucket continuously being filled with water, representing the daily stressors and challenges a person faces.

When the bucket has a faulty tap, it signifies someone struggling with resilience and unable to release the accumulated stress, leading to an overflow. This overflow illustrates how unmanaged stress can result in overwhelming anxiety and decreased performance.

Conversely, a bucket with a functioning tap symbolises a person with healthy resilience levels. This individual has effective outlets and coping mechanisms to manage and release stress, preventing the bucket from overflowing. The analogy emphasises the importance of self-awareness and having a toolkit of strategies to handle stress constructively.

By regularly emptying the bucket through healthy outlets, such as relaxation techniques, physical activity, or seeking support, individuals can maintain their resilience and navigate challenges more effectively.

Practical examples of resilience in the workplace can be seen through various behaviours and strategies that employees employ to manage stress and maintain productivity. For instance, consider an employee who, despite facing a tight deadline, remains calm and systematically prioritises tasks, demonstrating effective time management and stress control. Another example is a team member who, after receiving constructive criticism, takes the feedback positively and uses it to improve performance rather than feeling demoralised.

Resilience is also evident when employees support each other during challenging times. For example, when a colleague notices a teammate struggling with workload, they may offer assistance or suggest taking a short break to alleviate stress.

Additionally, a resilient employee might regularly engage in self-care activities, such as mindfulness or physical exercise, to maintain their well-being and stay focused. By integrating these practices, employees can sustain their resilience, contributing to a more robust and adaptive workplace culture.

The Steps to Change model, comprising See It, Own It, Change It, and Live It, offers a structured approach to improving company culture by fostering resilience and positive behaviours among employees.

See It: The first step involves identifying specific challenges within the organisation’s culture through comprehensive research. This stage is crucial for understanding the unique dynamics and issues employees face. By using drama scenarios, companies can vividly illustrate the subtle signs of low resilience and poor morale. These visual representations help employees recognise problematic behaviours and the impact they have on the workplace.

Own It: In this phase, employees reflect on their personal and collective behaviours. Through interactive methods such as polls, hot seating, and guided discussions, individuals can connect emotionally with the scenarios presented. This reflection helps employees acknowledge their role in the company’s culture and understand the importance of empathy and support. Recognising their contribution to the workplace environment is essential for personal accountability and fostering a culture of resilience.

Change It: The third step focuses on implementing changes. By practising new behaviours through role-play and coaching sessions, employees learn how to respond effectively to and manage stress. Skills practice allows them to experiment with different approaches to problem-solving and communication, reinforcing positive behaviours. This stage is about building confidence and competence in handling challenging situations, which is vital for cultural transformation.

Live It: The final step ensures that the new behaviours and attitudes are sustained over time. Continuous support and regular check-ins help reinforce the changes. Providing employees with practical tools, such as well-being action plans and self-care tips, supports the ongoing development of a positive and resilient company culture. Encouraging open discussions about mental health and resilience in team meetings further normalises these conversations, making them an integral part of everyday work life.

By following these steps, companies can cultivate a supportive and adaptive culture that enhances overall organisational well-being.

Improved resilience as a long-term feature in the workplace leads to sustained productivity, reduced absenteeism, and enhanced employee well-being. It fosters a supportive environment, promotes better team dynamics, and reduces stress-related issues. Over time, this cultivates a more adaptable, engaged, and high-performing workforce, contributing to the organisation’s overall stability and success.