How do you build a resilient workforce?
Workforce resilience is created where the environment at work supports employees to adapt to adverse situations, manage stress and retain motivation. Employers can improve workforce resilience with strategic investment in health and wellbeing initiatives, clear, compassionate and visible leadership, and empathetic dialogue between employer and employees.
Why it's important to act
Discover how innovative neuroscience tools can help companies gain better insights on what their employees really think
Where can I start?
1. Understand your current resilience
You can get started by trying our short resilience assessment tool. Answer 5 sets of questions about your organisation and we can provide you with an immediate indication as to whether your workforce is likely to be resilient.
- See how you fare against our resilience gauge
- Understand your key areas for improvement, and how to make change happen
- Discover how well-rounded your health and wellbeing approach is
2. Listen to your employees
Key to building a resilient workforce is understanding how your employees truly feel and what challenges they may be facing so you know what needs to be put in place to help build their resilience.
There are a number of traditional employee research tools available, such as questionnaires, pulse surveys and focus groups.
But sometimes more innovative tools are required to scratch beneath the surface and understand how employees truly feel. Neuroscience listening technology is an emerging method which can help employers bypass unconscious bias — enabling employers to understand the true feelings of their people.
In traditional surveys 60% of factors are
explicitly overstated6
In traditional surveys
60% of factors are
explicitly overstated6
There are many factors which can help contribute to building a resilient workforce. Below we have picked three prominent topics which we know impact resilience.
Read on to learn more in our employer guides and find support with practical actions you can tick off on our checklists and supportive tools.
Mental Health
Mental and emotional health is a key aspect of overall wellbeing and good mental health supports resilience.
Mental health was already a growing concern in the UK prior to 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled even greater mental health challenges.
The impact of the pandemic has resulted in mental health provision drastically reducing at a time when the need for mental health support has greatly increased, with many experts concerned this could lead to a mental health crisis.
But there are many ways employers can proactively support — our guide Mental Health Crisis — Supporting Employees Through Turbulent Times provides details on the issues and how employers can provide holistic support to those who need it.
for your workforce
Aging Population and Eldercare
The aging population and greater longevity means an increasing number of working adults are caring for aging family and friends.
Caring for elderly relatives can contribute to mental health strain and absenteeism and presenteeism at work. Plus the COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional pressures and strain, making eldercare an issue organisations need to consider to foster a resilient workforce.
Read more about the challenges in our employer guide The Aging Population — Why it’s time to take notice which takes a look at the Aging Population issues impacting employers and employees and provides a checklist of actions to consider to build resilience in this area.
Financial Resilience
Financial worries are one of the leading causes of stress.8
Helping employees build their financial resilience by better understanding and managing their finances can build stronger resilience, as well as help to:
- Reduce absenteeism and presenteeism
- Increase productivity
- Reduce finance-related mental health problems
for your workforce
Real life examples of resilient organisations
See first hand some real life examples, read the stories of organisations who are growing their workforce resilience, and discover the data demonstrating how workforce resilience is driving a new generation of workplaces in our Rising Resilient report.
Looking to the future
Companies must also be prepared to withstand future disruptions and stresses, such as unprecedented technology disruption and calls for greater diversity and inclusion. Find out more in our report Accelerate your workforce into the future.