Resilience in the workplace: a shared concern and responsibility

Resilience; it seems like the term is everywhere in recent years. It is therefore indispensable for people’s well-being. However, it is not a trait or quality that someone has or does not have. It is a shared concern and responsibility to maintain and strengthen resilience in the workplace.

When it comes to resilience, we often think of great negative experiences. A drastic event, such as being involved in an accident with serious casualties, or the death or serious illness of a loved one, literally turns someone’s world upside down. Suddenly trust in the world and the good outcome of things is no longer a given. But also several ‘small’ incidents, such as (verbal) aggression from clients or bullying in the workplace, can make the solid ground under someone’s feet fragile. A relatively minor incident can throw someone who is already wobbly completely off balance. But even a life change that is generally labeled as positive requires resilience. You can think of retiring, moving or starting a new job.

What can you do yourself?

What do we need to think about in the

Strengthening of the own resilience?

We can distinguish 7 areas that influence personal well-being, the resilience circle.

The resilience circle

• First, the spiritual area, it is important for example to seek inspiration and also life wisdom belongs here.
• Secondly the emotional area, this involves a person recognising, acknowledging and handling his or her emotions.
• Thirdly, the intellectual area, where staying curious and trying new things is central.
• The fourth area contains physical concerns; healthy eating, exercise, adequate sleep and relaxation are included here.
• Fifth is the social area, which focuses on building and maintaining a strong social network.
• The environment, or ensuring a pleasant living environment is the sixth area.
• Finally, the seventh area includes having and keeping a grip on the financial skin accounts.

“The employee must also take responsibility for his or her own well-being.”

Giving these areas attention and prioritizing them strengthens one’s resilience. As mentioned earlier, it is not the case that someone is born with a certain amount of resilience and nothing can be done about it. Both preventively and after a severe event, maintaining the 7 areas ensures greater resilience and therefore personal wellbeing. Someone who is ‘in balance’ is a more pleasant, balanced colleague and therefore strengthens the rest of the team. In part, an employer can support employees to strengthen certain areas. In part, it is also up to the employee to take responsibility in time for their own well-being. Self-insight and checking the 7 areas serve as a guide.

Unbalanced

Some resilience is needed for everyday work and life. It requires flexibility and adaptability to sufficiently combine different roles such as employee, colleague, parent, partner, friend and family member. However, in some jobs a good dose of resilience is essential to be able to function properly and to continue to do so. People in the police and fire departments, but also nurses for example, regularly experience small and large stressful events and are confronted with the suffering and pain of others. Being able to put this suffering into perspective and give it meaning is a requirement in such a job. When a professional becomes unbalanced, it causes not only personal suffering but also a heavier burden on colleagues. An important point of attention for employers as well.

”Taking responsibility for one’s own well-being characterizes resilient people”

Human as we are, the tendency to assign blame is often great. The government should have made or enforced rules, the employer should have intervened earlier or this should never have happened. However, accepting what (unfortunately!) cannot be changed and tackling what can be influenced gives people control. Taking responsibility for one’s own well-being characterizes resilient people. It goes without saying that feelings such as anger, a lack of understanding, powerlessness or helplessness are part of the processing of a drastic event. Especially in the first few days or weeks, these paralyzing emotions are part of it. Someone who pulls themselves together after the initial shock and consciously addresses their own resilience will benefit greatly from this.

Resilience in our trainings

For many years Essenburgh Training & Advice has been involved in helping people cope with major events. Scientific research gives more and more insight in how trauma, and possibly post traumatic stress disorder, can be prevented. And more importantly, how people can prepare themselves for stressful situations and unexpected events. Essenburg uses among others

Peer support training

The resilience circle to give people insight in their own possibilities and chances. But also in other training courses, for example

Pension in sight

The 7 areas come back in other trainings as well. An important pillar in our training is taking personal responsibility, whereby we provide practical support to people where it is needed.

Strengthen your own resilience?