How resiliency training can help companies survive and thrive in the era of COVID19
Stress, anxiety and fear can have far-reaching consequences on a business and its employees. In normal times, business leaders can deal with these issues in a vacuum, helping individual employees work through stress via counseling and other methods. In the pandemic era however, stress, anxiety and fear are the norm for just about every person on the planet. Short of a vaccine—and let’s hope one is coming soon—business leaders must help their employees (and themselves) develop resiliency if they are going to keep moving forward.
Resiliency is the ability to persevere, remain focused and move forward with our responsibilities and goals, in spite of obstacles and challenges. While it’s true that some people are naturally more resilient than others, resiliency isn’t a personality trait—it’s a skill that can be learned. And resiliency isn’t just about how people feel. It’s directly related to how they perform. Research indicates that an inability to manage high levels of stress effectively may result in an increase in physical and emotional disorders—which in turn can decrease productivity and increase medical insurance usage, both of which can significantly impact an organization’s bottom line. Employees with low resilience are more likely to have higher absenteeism and turnover along with reduced productivity, while employees who are highly resilient adapt easier to change, are more productive and have a positive influence on their coworkers.
Invest in Your Employees—And Your Future
The economic shutdown has put a serious squeeze on business finances. While some industries are more affected than others, the overall economic environment has suffered greatly during the pandemic. For most business leaders, that means tightening the purse strings. But that can be a mistake. During this time, businesses should be investing in the future. Investing in resiliency training can be a great way to strengthen your team and prepare them to deal with the realities of everyday life during the pandemic—and emerge stronger when it’s over.
Resiliency training programs can vary in content and approach, but all will focus on teaching effective behavioral coping techniques to increase resiliency. Core features of resiliency programs are:
- Teaching effective coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety
- Teaching effective problem-solving skills
- Teaching strategies to increase self-efficacy
- Creating a work environment and culture that fosters support and reinforcement of resiliency skills
Resiliency training isn’t a quick cure for stress, it’s a program that is intended to forge emotionally and mentally stronger people. And in turn, a stronger organization. Every person can use more resiliency to better navigate life in and out of the office. And that’s especially true for business leaders.
The Value of Being a Resilient Leader
You’ve probably heard that the best way to judge the performance of a company’s customer service is how it handles problems. The same thing can be said for leaders—whose success is often reflected in their resiliency. The ability to persevere and remained focused is essential for leaders. They must move forward with their responsibilities and goals in spite of obstacles and challenges. Resilient leaders who do so will find resilient employees who want to follow their lead. But again—resiliency isn’t inherited, it’s a skill that can be learned, or sharpened. That’s why resilience training is essential for both employees and leaders.
As a business performance coach, I have seen leaders, employees and companies make incredible transformations after going through resilience training—and continuously sharpening their resilience skills after. Without a doubt, resilience training is a great investment in your company. It creates strong people and strong leaders—two things businesses desperately need to thrive in desperate times.
Resiliency training is essential for both employees and leaders. Contact us today for a personal, professional, and custom solution dedicated to your business goals.
