According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is defined as “the ability to adapt well in the face of trauma or tragedy, threats, or other significant sources of stress.” 1 It turns out that not only is resilience a good trait to carry us through personal trauma or tragedy, it's also a critical attribute in the workplace. And it’s easy to see why. Today, “getting the job done” can include a good deal of uncertainty and adversity, due to frequent restructuring, layoffs, lengthy work travel, disruptions like the pandemic, long hours, and intense internal and external competition.
When employees are unable to handle such stress, it hurts them as individuals as well as the company as a whole. And the organizational impact is well documented. According to studies, distressed workers are significantly less productive than those who aren’t.2 Direct financial impacts include an increase in health insurance claims, disability, and costs related to increased employee turnover. In addition, customer service levels fall as stress rises.3
The most successful organizations today have a resilient workforce that can recover from setbacks, adapt well to change, and most of all, keep going in the face of adversity. Resilient employees can protect themselves against negative experiences that otherwise could be paralyzing, and maintain emotional balance in uncertain times, both of which are needed to keep a business running profitably.
But how do you ensure a resilient workforce? Is it a trait you have to hire, or can it be taught? The answer is, both.
According to Duke University researchers Kathryn Connor and Jonathan Davidson who developed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Assessment Scale (CD-RISC), resilient people have certain characteristics.4 These include (but are not limited to):
Connor and Davidson’s study concluded that resilience is not only quantifiable, it can also be taught. And while organizations don’t need to take responsibility for their employees’ long-term career trajectories, they can help key staff apply their talents in the short term by encouraging resilience.
Resilient employees benefit an organization, according to the most recent research5, because they perform more effectively, are more committed to the organization, are more engaged with the organization and their job, and are likely to stay with the organization for longer.
When it comes to attracting and keeping resilient employees at your organization, there are multiple ways to facilitate this – from choosing the right staff at the start, to teaching resilience, to building it into the culture of the organization. Below are 3 ways to consider.
While it may feel like more work upfront, making a commitment to attract and retain resilient employees will have a long-term positive effect on your organization. Resilient employees have deeper reserves to draw upon in challenging times, which leads to reduced anxiety and depression and higher levels of function. And that’s good for business.
Optivio is an enterprise-level stress management and performance optimization platform that can help you maintain a resilient workforce. Learn more about it here: http://www.optivio.com/technology
References
1. American Psychological Association, Building Your Resilience, 2012.
2. Denning, S, How stress is the business world's silent killer, Forbes, May 4, 2018.
3. Ferguson, J, Workplace stress strains organizations’ bottom lines, Corporate Wellness Magazine, March 30, 2020.
4. Connor, K T and Davidson, J, Development of a new resilience scale: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), published in Depression and Anxiety, 2003, DOI: 10.1002/da.10113.
5. Brykman, K and King, D. A Resource Model of Team Resilience Capacity and Learning, Group & Organization Management, 2021; 105960112110180 DOI: 10.1177/10596011211018008.