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Over two-thirds of employees are concerned about their wellbeing, and employers are stepping up to address this growing problem. UK companies are investing £45 billion annually in wellbeing programs, clearly showing their commitment to employee wellbeing in the workplace.
Despite these efforts, only a third of UK employees feel they are resilient at work. Feelings of stress and low resilience are far more common – these employees are typically 59% less engaged and 43% less likely to stay at their jobs than those who feel resilient.
Actively building resilience is hugely beneficial in today’s workforce. While most employers strive to protect their teams from work-related stress, it’s often an inevitable aspect of the workplace. Teams with strong resilience skills are better equipped to handle stressful situations effectively. These teams contribute to a positive company culture, which in turn boosts employee satisfaction and retention for the whole company.
What is work resilience?
Work resilience is defined as an ability to respond to pressure, deal with adversity and overcome challenges in the workplace. Resilient employees are much more likely to ‘bounce back’ and stay positive in challenging situations, turning them into opportunities for growth.
Many people think that resilience is a personality trait, that some people are just naturally more resilient than others. The good news is, resilience is a skill you can work on and build in your team. Work resilience unlocks many benefits, including higher productivity, better stress management and improved wellbeing at work.
Did you know? A large-scale survey of over 1.5 million employees across 185 countries found that approximately 75% of the workforce experienced moderate to high stress levels.
5 dimensions of work resilience and how to support your team
The concept of work resilience encompasses five key dimensions: energy level, mental engagement, mental clarity, emotional wellbeing and physical wellbeing. To build and maintain resilience in the workplace, it’s essential to develop and nurture each of these areas.
It’s important to remember that fluctuations in work resilience are normal, especially during periods of busy schedules and tight deadlines. If you notice a dip in your team’s resilience, here’s how you can provide support across the five dimensions of work resilience:
1. Energy level – Encourage your team to top up their energy levels by taking regular breaks and creating a culture that values work-life balance. This can significantly boost team productivity and engagement in the long run.
2. Mental engagement – Mental engagement can fluctuate under stress, but there are ways you can build it back up. Create an environment that fosters meaningful work, recognition and opportunities for growth to keep employees mentally invested and engaged.
3. Mental clarity – When work gets busy, maintaining mental clarity helps you stay focused and productive. Employers can support this by promoting clear communication, setting realistic goals and providing resources to manage workloads effectively.
4. Emotional wellbeing – Emotional and mental health is a key aspect of resilience, particularly under stress. Consider offering mindfulness tools like Headspace or Calm to help your team look after their emotional wellbeing, and focus on building a supportive, empathetic working culture.
5. Physical wellbeing – Promote physical wellbeing by encouraging regular exercise and ergonomic practices throughout the working day. Tools like VIDA Pain Coach offer tailored exercises for employees to stay active and keep work-related pain at bay.
How Vitrue’s work resilience assessment can help
With companies investing heavily in employee wellbeing, why is work resilience so low across the population? Around 80% of generic wellness programs and tools have low effectiveness. Many tools introduce the idea of work resilience, without a clear pathway to build your skills across the five dimensions of workplace resilience.
Vitrue Health’s scientifically-backed work resilience assessment is your companion to physical wellbeing. It’s designed to provide your team with the skills to adapt and respond positively to workplace stress, offering completely confidential, personalised guidance tailored to each individual’s needs.
The assessment gives you valuable insights into your team’s resilience levels, with a focus on overall wellbeing. It helps you identify areas where support may be needed and offers a strategic approach to enhance resilience across the five key dimensions of workplace resilience.
For more information on how VIDA can help you build resilience in your team, get in touch with us at sales@vitruehealth.com or book a demo today!
