Resilience, the propensity to adapt and bounce back from personal and professional setbacks, is increasingly recognized as a key driver of job performance and overall organizational growth. Read on to know the what, the why and the how of resilience training in the workplace 

The what 

Resilience is the capability to recover quickly in the face of adversity. When confronted with stress or trauma, mental fortitude can help battling a conflict, bounce back faster and come out successful. Resilience training involves psychological activities with a common theme, aimed at coping with stress and developing a positive and flexible mindset. 

The why 

Resilience is associated with greater job satisfaction, work happiness, organizational commitment, and employee engagement. When employers address workplace stress and mental health, they start building resilient workforces. The pandemic has pushed the workforce towards tighter deadlines, tougher decisions, and forcing constant connection with work. An analysis from WHO shows a 25% global rise in cases of depression and anxiety in the first year of pandemic alone. Realizing this, many organizations have stepped up to provide interventional therapy for employee wellbeing. By availing services of organizations like Happify, Headspace and many others, corporates have now approached stress management through custom designed internet-based training and applications. 

The how 

While each organization may have unique needs and different timelines in which to address them, some common topics include: 

Mindfulness training. Pausing to reflect on thought patterns and their root causes, to divert the train of thoughts to more productive lines. This is further affirmed with mindfulness meditation sessions, deep breathing, and relaxation techniques. 

Positivity. To build resilience, having a repository of positive feelings to fall back on is a necessity. Studies about the law of attraction show that the right mindset attracts the desired results and sidelines negative outcomes. 

Accomplishment. In one’s personal and professional life, reaching goals can help boost self-esteem and build self-worth. Organizations must encourage employees to pursue certifications, licenses, or other upskilling opportunities for career growth. On the personal front, employees may gain a sense of accomplishment as they meet their career goals. Overall, any activity that can build on strengths and channel positivity toward personal development can help employees copecope with the everyday pressures of life. 

Support system. An empathetic work-friend or business colleague to talk to can nurture acceptance and healing. It is also important for managers to promote an open channel of communication. Recognizing early signs of distress in employees and providing timely support creates mental security and establishes a mutual support system. 

Physical wellness. Food, water, exercise, and adequate rest are the first steps to ensuring good physical health, and through that, robust mental health.  

Nurturing a resilient culture. Resilient employees make resilient organizations. Organizations focusing on building a more resilient workplace require leadership buy-in. Learning and Development initiatives must prioritize their support for wellness initiatives and come up with strategies, tools, and training to ensure the employees invest time in such activities. It is understood that the upper echelons should set the right example, by adhering to these methods and then motivating their team to do the same. 

In Conclusion 

The key to success is often the ability to adapt. Given that turbulences are always ahead, a resilient mindset is the best asset to weather the storm and piece the ship back to normalcy. The recent pandemic episode has established beyond doubt that a rational mindset is the definitive exit to any dicey situation. With resilience comes the acceptance of the new good and the excitement of a brand-new future. After all, “The mind is braver than you believe, stronger than you know, and smarter than you think”