30%
According to Aon’s The Rising Resilient report, while employee wellbeing programs are becoming increasingly widespread, just 30 percent of employees are resilient
For businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically highlighted the importance of a resilient workforce.
As the pandemic has challenged businesses, it’s also challenged the wellbeing of their employees, not just in terms of their physical health but their mental and financial wellness as well. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of employee resilience. Their view isn’t just a short-term perspective as they navigate the pandemic and bring workers back to the workplace. More and more, they are recognizing that employee resilience is a critical element of long-term business success.
“For employers, this is no longer about merely getting through the next six months. They know COVID will be around for a while, given the uneven global progress with vaccine rollout and unknown long-term effects of the disease,” says Geoffrey Kuhn, chief actuary, Health Solutions, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Aon. “Leaders are looking at the need to be more prepared and ready for future disruptions and the need for flexibility going forward.”
However, there is work to be done. According to Aon’s The Rising Resilient report, while employee wellbeing programs are becoming increasingly widespread, just 30 percent of employees are resilient. The report found that 42 percent of employees don’t feel secure in their jobs, 52 percent don’t feel a sense of belonging, and 55 percent don’t feel they can reach their potential.
Building employee resilience is a complex process. For it to be successful, employers must recognize what the report identifies as the 10 key factors of resilience. For this list to have the maximum impact, employers need to understand that the importance of each of these factors might vary among employees as times and circumstances change.
“Of these 10 resilience factors, at any point in time we may be relying on a few of them,” says Dr. Avneet Kaur, wellbeing solutions leader, Health Solutions, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Aon. “Before the pandemic, for example, there might have been a focus on physical health. Now there’s been a shift to supporting mental health, financial and social wellbeing.”
According to Aon’s The Rising Resilient report, while employee wellbeing programs are becoming increasingly widespread, just 30 percent of employees are resilient
Resilience requires a culture of support, self-awareness and responsibility in which the employer provides employees with the environment and tools needed to help manage their health and wellbeing, Kaur says. The Rising Resilient report found that 88 percent of resilient employees agree that their employer enables them to take care of their personal needs, compared with only 37 percent of nonresilient employees. While those tools can address a variety of employees’ wellbeing issues, resilience puts workers in charge of their own wellbeing.
An employer’s wellbeing program should address all the aspects of wellbeing: physical, social, emotional, professional and financial. And taking this further to build a resilient workforce, Aon has found that it comes down to focusing on 10 factors, outlined in its Rising Resilient report.
Results of Aon’s ongoing employer self-assessment show areas of opportunity. With over 400 responses to date, employers say the resilience factors they’re struggling with most are: supporting mental health in the modern day (71 percent) and developing financial security (67 percent).
As employers work to help employees gain resilience, it’s important to note that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to the task. Each employee is unique, a fact that wellbeing offerings must address, Kaur says.
“It’s about understanding that every person is different: how they’re raised, their preferences, how they like to work,” Kaur says. “Not everyone was impacted in the same way by the COVID-19 pandemic, just as any kind of stress doesn’t impact everyone in the same manner. That’s something very important for organizations to understand.”
It’s also essential that employers monitor and measure their resilience efforts to make sure they’re getting the desired results.
“Once you put a wellbeing strategy in place, how are you measuring the impact?” asks Kaur. “Get data to help you make decisions about what’s working and what’s not. It’s an ongoing effort to make sure your employees are getting what they actually need.”
General Disclaimer
The information contained herein and the statements expressed are of a general nature and are not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information and use sources we consider reliable, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.
Terms of Use
The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.
Our Better Being podcast series, hosted by Aon Chief Wellbeing Officer Rachel Fellowes, explores wellbeing strategies and resilience. This season we cover human sustainability, kindness in the workplace, how to measure wellbeing, managing grief and more.
Expert Views on Today's Risk Capital and Human Capital Issues
The construction industry is under pressure from interconnected risks and notable macroeconomic developments. Learn how your organization can benefit from construction insurance and risk management.
Stay in the loop on today's most pressing cyber security matters.
Our Cyber Resilience collection gives you access to Aon’s latest insights on the evolving landscape of cyber threats and risk mitigation measures. Reach out to our experts to discuss how to make the right decisions to strengthen your organization’s cyber resilience.
Our Employee Wellbeing collection gives you access to the latest insights from Aon's human capital team. You can also reach out to the team at any time for assistance with your employee wellbeing needs.
Explore Aon's latest environmental social and governance (ESG) insights.
Our Global Insurance Market Insights highlight insurance market trends across pricing, capacity, underwriting, limits, deductibles and coverages.
How do the top risks on business leaders’ minds differ by region and how can these risks be mitigated? Explore the regional results to learn more.
Our Human Capital Analytics collection gives you access to the latest insights from Aon's human capital team. Contact us to learn how Aon’s analytics capabilities helps organizations make better workforce decisions.
Explore our hand-picked insights for human resources professionals.
Our Workforce Collection provides access to the latest insights from Aon’s Human Capital team on topics ranging from health and benefits, retirement and talent practices. You can reach out to our team at any time to learn how we can help address emerging workforce challenges.
Our Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) collection gives you access to the latest insights from Aon's thought leaders to help dealmakers make better decisions. Explore our latest insights and reach out to the team at any time for assistance with transaction challenges and opportunities.
How do businesses navigate their way through new forms of volatility and make decisions that protect and grow their organizations?
Our Parametric Insurance Collection provides ways your organization can benefit from this simple, straightforward and fast-paying risk transfer solution. Reach out to learn how we can help you make better decisions to manage your catastrophe exposures and near-term volatility.
Our Pay Transparency and Equity collection gives you access to the latest insights from Aon's human capital team on topics ranging from pay equity to diversity, equity and inclusion. Contact us to learn how we can help your organization address these issues.
Forecasters are predicting an extremely active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Take measures to build resilience to mitigate risk for hurricane-prone properties.
Our Technology Collection provides access to the latest insights from Aon's thought leaders on navigating the evolving risks and opportunities of technology. Reach out to the team to learn how we can help you use technology to make better decisions for the future.
Trade, technology, weather and workforce stability are the central forces in today’s risk landscape.
Our Trade Collection gives you access to the latest insights from Aon's thought leaders on navigating the evolving risks and opportunities for international business. Reach out to our team to understand how to make better decisions around macro trends and why they matter to businesses.
With a changing climate, organizations in all sectors will need to protect their people and physical assets, reduce their carbon footprint, and invest in new solutions to thrive. Our Weather Collection provides you with critical insights to be prepared.
Our Workforce Resilience collection gives you access to the latest insights from Aon's Human Capital team. You can reach out to the team at any time for questions about how we can assess gaps and help build a more resilience workforce.
Article 8 mins
Risk managers are increasingly looking to Alternative Risk Transfer Solutions for potential enhancements in managing risk.
Article 8 mins
Amid economic uncertainty, companies are taking a careful approach to hiring and salary planning — one that includes focused hiring strategies, revising salary budgets and implementing measures that respond to the current economic environment.
Alert 7 mins
The current operating environment in the Middle East is increasingly complex and multifaceted, characterized by ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon and neighboring states, alongside significant changes in the business and insurance environment.