How can HR and managers support employees to build resilience in practice? Constant change and increasing demands in working life challenge both the ability of employees to cope and the capacity of organisations to function. Resilience - the ability to adapt, cope and recover - is key to wellbeing and success at work.
The world of work is constantly changing, and the information overload and learning new things are putting more pressure on the knowledge worker than ever before. At the same time, the challenges of private life rarely stay outside the office door; the responsibilities of hectic years weigh on the mind or the worry of a loved one falling ill takes away the ability to concentrate.
The role of HR and managers is crucial when it comes to staff wellbeing and resilience. How can we support people in a timely and personalised way while ensuring scalability? How can we strengthen employees' adaptability to change and provide concrete tools to support their wellbeing?
The importance of resilience in working life
Resilience is the ability to adapt to change, cope with adversity and recover from difficult situations.It does not mean suppressing or ignoring emotions but rather developing psychological flexibility and ways to handle challenges constructively. In the turbulence of working life, resilience helps maintain wellbeing, work engagement, and the ability to move forward after setbacks.
Ways to strengthen resilience
Resilience is not an innate characteristic, but a skill that can be developed at individual, team and organisational level. The following seven tools are key to building resilience in the workplace:
1. Supporting wellbeing
Resilience is based on feeling physically and mentally well, which enables us to be more resilient in the face of change and adversity. If you want to strengthen the resilience of your workplace and its individuals, you should invest in the overall wellbeing of your employees.
2. Increasing self-awareness
When employees understand their own patterns of thought and action, they are better able to manage stress and recover from adversity. A psychologically safe working environment supports regular self-reflection and continuous learning.
3. Developing flexible thinking
Flexible thinking helps employees to adapt to change and find alternative solutions to challenges. Flexible thinking in the workplace can be strengthened by building a work culture that embraces change with a positive and curious attitude. The example set by leadership and managers has a significant impact on how changes are perceived and how confidently different perspectives and alternative solutions are brought forward.
4. A positive attitude towards the future
Optimism and a positive attitude towards the future help to overcome difficult situations. By taking a solution-oriented approach to challenges, they do not seem so overwhelming and it is easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel. By celebrating successes together and bringing joy to work, a positive atmosphere is reinforced.
5. Focus on what you can influence
Working together with the team to find the things you can influence creates a sense of control, which is key to wellbeing and solution-focused working.
6. Accepting your own thoughts and feelings
Resilience is strengthened by the ability to distance oneself from one's own thoughts and recognise them as just thoughts, not absolute truths. Awareness skills and acceptance training help to deal with adversity and change.
7. Stress management and emotional skills
Stress management techniques, such as relaxation techniques and developing emotional skills, help team members cope under pressure. Enabling recovery during the working day, and encouraging breaks when moving from one task to another, will balance the workload and reduce perceived stress.
The role of HR and managers
HR and managers play a key role in building resilience in the workplace. The role of HR and managers is not to act as therapists or work supervisors but to provide tools and foster a culture and practices that support the strengthening of resilience.
Building resilience is not a one-off project but an ongoing process that needs to be built into the culture. Management must provide leadership and create an environment in which individuals can develop their own capacity for change and resilience. Organisations that invest in the resilience of their people will be more successful and more capable in a changing workplace.
View the recording of our resilience webinar from 19 March 2025: Resilience: Turning Adversity into Asset.
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Writer:
Johanna Rosengren
Johanna Rosengren is the Head of Business Development at Auntie. Before Auntie she has worked with wellbeing at work from a data and analytics perspective. Johanna has experienced 2 burnouts in her life and believes the key to preventing burnouts is psychological safety, easy-access support and empowering individuals to feel in control of their own wellbeing.