To celebrate National Mentoring Month, we are featuring a series of guest posts reflecting on mentorship. This week’s feature from Shanissa Bell, Leadership Development Programs Lead with the Argonne Leadership Institute, writes about an important topic and one where mentors are critical–resiliency!
Do you sometimes struggle with adapting to the never-ending changes in your work environment? Are you looking for ways to balance frequent churn with your need to be productive or to achieve success? If you answer yes to either of these questions, you are not alone. According to the 2020 Workplace Resilience Study, “only 15% of workers worldwide exhibit high resilience” (ADP Research Institute, 2021). When we think about resilience in the workplace, we are really referring to an individual’s ability to fully adapt to challenges, change, and stressors. Being resilient in the workplace means that you have developed the skills to adjust and grow when you receive new and sometimes conflicting information or when dealing with changes in the organization or its structure.
In today’s world, employees are subjected to an immeasurable amount of pressure and uncertainty. Employees often deal with poor communication, lack of autonomy or support, and higher than average workloads. While it is important to understand what causes workplace stressors, it is equally important to recognize that your personal resiliency or your ability to ‘bounce back’ is a skill that can be improved.
Employees who are highly resilient have many characteristics in common that are worth exploring. Here are 4 examples of common traits in highly resilient people that can help you improve your own skills in these areas.
- Resilient employees have a positive outlook
Resilient employees not only have a positive outlook at work; they are also realistic about situations that are within their control and are aware of things that they are unable to change. These employees don’t fixate on uncertainty but instead look for opportunities to improve the situation.
How can you improve this skill? Concentrate on things that are in your control. You may need to shift your mindset from thinking about what you can’t do to what you are able to do. Try to remain positive and if you encounter a roadblock, bring other people in who can assist you in determining your next steps.
2. Resilient employees are flexible
Being able to pivot is necessary when dealing with change. Employees who are flexible tend to be open-minded and focus on their ability to switch between tasks quickly. This helps them adjust to fluctuations in their day-to-day tasks.
How can you improve this skill? As an employee you can develop your flexibility by taking on projects to learn new skills. You can also advocate learning from others on your team. You may even take on stretch assignments that allow you to work in areas that are not routine for your job. Doing these things will increase your skill base and allow you to take on new initiatives quickly.
3. Resilient employees have a sense of purpose
“Highly resilient people are 3.9 times more likely to love what they do” (ADP Research Institute, 2021). When an employee believes in the mission and the vision of the organization that they work for, they are more likely to want to see the organization succeed. This in turn increases the success of the employee.
How can you improve this skill? You can start by seeking to understand the goals of your organization. By understanding the mission and what the organization is working towards accomplishing, you can ensure that there is an alignment in your work and what you care about as an individual.
4. Resilient employees have strong social support
Employees who can work through challenging situations and succeed in the face of change have strong social networks. This is extremely important in the workplace. Resilient employees have peers, mentors, and leaders that they can confide in and ask for help when needed.
How can you improve this skill? Network, network, network! Expanding your social circle is a great way to deal with workplace stress and change. You can build your network by attending both internal and external networking events, you can join an ERG or join a cross-functional project team. Taking these steps will help you build a network of supporters that can help you during challenging times.
Finally, while you may find it difficult to deal with uncertainty or ambiguity, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Change is to be expected but you can increase your resiliency skills to help you adapt to future situations. Understanding what affects resiliency is the first step in creating a plan to productively decrease workplaces stressors while increasing your ability to succeed.
Sources:
ADP Research Institute. (2021, March 23). MIT Sloan Management Review: The Top 10 findings on Resilience and Engagement – ADP Research. ADP Research. https://www.adpresearch.com/assets/mit-sloan-management-review-the-top-10-findings-on-resilience-and-engagement/
