We live in a time of rapid changes. Digital transformation and the appearance of new work models and tools make many employees feel overwhelmed by a perspective of uncertainty that prevents them from seeing a successful professional future. Lack of motivation and frustration can cause negative effects not only on the health of workers, but also on the company. For this reason, it is so important that team management foster resilience at the workplace.
Resilience is a capacity that appears innately in most people. However, not all have it equally developed and for some individuals it is difficult to adapt to new circumstances.
Luckily, like all skills, this one can also be trained. And that is precisely what we are going to talk about in today’s article.
Next, we are going to give you the keys to foster workplace resilience and build strong teams capable of facing all adversities.
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What is resilience at the workplace?
In a few words: resilience is the ability to face problems, overcome them, and take advantage of the situation to come out stronger with new learning.
It is about a capacity of adaptability that we humans have for not to let adversity stop us from looking to the future, and that serves both in the personal and work spheres.
Today, the 72 % of employees suffer from some type of negative symptomatology related to work. Unexpected changes, failed projects or task overload are just some of the ingredients that can affect people’s emotional stability.
To the workforce not succumbing to challenges, it is important that the organization build a work environment that fosters resilience. In this way, employees will be able to face adversity with a positive outlook, taking advantage of the circumstances to learn, innovate, and strengthen themselves.
How are resilient employees?
Professionals who show a resilient attitude at work usually have several characteristics in common:
- They are flexible. Resilient people are flexible and able to adapt to difficult and changing situations, which allows them to cope with stressful situations.
- They trust themselves. They have strong self-confidence and a solid belief that they can overcome any challenge.
- They have an optimistic outlook. In difficult times, a positive outlook encourages them to find opportunities instead of barriers.
- They are emotionally strong. Resilient people have great emotional strength, which helps them control their feelings in complex situations.
- They have a large social support network. Highly resilient people are not alone but have the support of peers and friends to help them cope with challenges.
- They use creativity to solve problems. They use the resources of their environment to solve problems creatively.
- They have self discipline. Which allows them to set goals and stay focused on them, helping them overcome obstacles and succeed.
- They have great communication skills. They know what they want and express their needs and expectations clearly but assertively.
5 Keys to foster resilience at the workplace
The success of an organization is a reflection of its people. A resilient team is essential to obtain the best results in terms of motivation, productivity and profitability, which will give your business a significant competitive advantage in the market.
If you want to know how to foster resilience in the workplace, pay attention to the following tips:
1. Teach your team to learn from their mistakes
During the course of their career, it’s normal for employees to sometimes make mistakes. To boost resilience, we must motivate employees not to run away from the situation, but to accept it in order to face it with integrity.
It is useless to point out what has gone wrong. Therefore, as a leader, you should take advantage of these experiences as development opportunities for your team members. Only with a positive approach employees will stop thinking about the past in order to focus on the future.
2. Encourage them to get out of their comfort zone
People feel safe when we control what happens around us. However, today’s market demands call for adaptability. This means that many times we will have to face situations that are beyond our control.
If you want your team to be resilient in accepting these changes, you will need to come up with new approaches and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone. Try to establish different mechanics or perspectives in the development of the projects and let your team get used to them little by little.
In this way, it will be easier for your teams to adapt to the new the next time they need it.
3. Show empathy
As a manager, you must be able to put yourself in the shoes of your collaborators and understand their adversities. Make sure that the people you work with can trust you to voice their concerns.
Keep in mind that, as a leader, one of your main functions is to offer support and guidance in times of crisis, so being prepared to help solve problems is a must if your intention is to boost resilience.
4. Encourage teamwork
As we have already mentioned, resilient people have an important emotional support network. So, it is crucial that you cultivate a positive work environment, with healthy interpersonal relationships willing to collaborate with each other in the face of challenges.
Prosocial behavior, in addition to improving resilience, also promotes a feeling of belonging and gives employees the necessary confidence to face challenges with confidence and optimism.
5. Stimulates employee engagement
Employees committed to their company tend to work harder to adapt, adopting a proactive and favorable attitude to solve problems.
One of the most effective ways to boost employee engagement is through specialized employee engagement software.
With Team Insights you can:
- Listen to the voice of your collaborators and identify their needs and expectations.
- Understand the operation of your company and the state of the work environment.
- Foster internal communication and involve everyone in the development of the business.
Undoubtedly, having a platform where employees can express themselves freely allows companies to know their strengths and areas for improvement to create strategic plans to promote the quality of life and well-being of people, two elements that greatly influence employee commitment.
Resilient teams: a competitive advantage
Resilient teams have the ability to quickly adapt and respond to challenging situations. Not only do they maintain a positive and optimistic attitude in the face of difficult times, they also learn from them and use adversity to grow and become stronger.
In addition, resilience at work usually builds teams with greater cohesion and commitment among its members, which allows them to work more effectively and achieve common goals.
Now that you know what are the advantages of resilience in the workplace and how to promote it, what are you waiting for to have stronger teams?
