We can discuss resilience at work in relation to both an organization and an individual employee. When it comes to an organization, we can understand it as a company’s ability to adapt to change, overcome difficulties, and protect its internal stability and functionality in the face of difficulties and challenges (which is essential for maintaining competitiveness and growth). In the case of an employee, it is strongly associated with mental resilience in the workplace, necessary to cope with difficulties that arise. Below, we will explain in detail what resilience in the workplace is and point out the best ways to foster positive attitudes. Read on.

4 ways to boost your resilience at work – table of contents:

  1. What is resilience at work?
  2. Ways to build resilience at work – best practices
  3. Summary

What is resilience at work?

Resilience in the workplace in relation to an employee is their ability to cope with difficulties and obstacles that may be encountered at work. Potential difficulties and adversities may, of course, vary depending on the company, the industry, the held position, the level in the hierarchy or the performed duties. However, mental resilience in the workplace usually includes such elements as:

  • Ability to cope with stress – at work, stress can result from a variety of factors, for example, heavy workloads, tasks beyond one’s skills, pressure to meet deadlines, team conflicts,and communication problems, etc.,
  • Ability to adapt to changes – related both to changes in the company’s situation and in positions or the ways tasks are performed,
  • Ability to self-motivate (strong intrinsic motivation) – it refers to the ability to effectively plan and organize one’s work, perform tasks effectively and achieve set goals,
  • Ability to overcome difficulties and maintain a positive attitude at all times – proactively looking for solutions instead of giving up.
resilience at work

Ways to build resilience at work – best practices

It is important to note that resilience at work can be trained and strengthened. The best way to do this is, of course, by practising, that is confronting negative situations and overcoming them, but it is also possible to identify several other ways that bring positive results. The most important of them are listed below.

Focusing on successes, not failures

Positive thinking is essential when building resilience to situations that happen in the workplace. It is definitely worth focusing on your achievements and the progress you have made than on mistakes and unpleasant situations you have encountered. It is important to take care of yourself and your well-being (both mental and physical, for example, by ensuring a healthy diet, a good night’s sleep, regular physical activity, and work-life balance etc.), as well as responding to your needs.

Taking care of self-development

Developing hard and soft skills is another tactic that will help you build resilience at work. But how? Strengthening your skills makes you more confident, which means you find it easier to respond to difficult situations and find ways to overcome the difficulties. Also, new tasks in such a situation are no longer an overwhelming challenge and become an opportunity to demonstrate and test your skills in practice.

Improving organizational skills

Low resilience at work is frequently related to the inability to complete your tasks – good work organization and planning can help minimize stress and feeling overwhelmed. Of course, you can’t predict all situations at work, but planning will help you ease the burden and feel better when things get tough. Tools such as the Eisenhower matrix or the ALPEN method, as well as following the Pareto principle and leaving yourself time for unplanned situations, can help in this matter.

Nurturing relationships with people

Positive relations with people on the team or in the company is also a way that can help build resilience at work. After all, asking for help in a difficult situation is not a sign of weakness, but a high level of self-awareness, which is essential to being mentally resilient. Being able to talk to another person about a problem is an opportunity to gain support, work out a solution to a problem together or look at difficulties from a different angle, which has a positive impact on mental well-being.

Summary

Undoubtedly, building resilience at work takes time and effort but the ability to deal effectively with difficulties and challenges as they arise is essential to properly carry out your duties and climb the career ladder. What is important, however, is that resilience at work is not an innate trait, which means that it can be improved. The practices identified above are some of the ways you can use to strengthen your resilience. However, everyone should strive to find their own methods that work best for them.

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Read also: How can HRIS software help boost employee engagement at work?

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Author: Nicole Mankin

HR manager with an excellent ability to build a positive atmosphere and create a valuable environment for employees. She loves to see the potential of talented people and mobilize them to develop.