During stable times, predictability supports consistent performance and growth. This stability enables structured planning, steady investment, and the cultivation of a confident workforce. Companies optimize operations, focus on long-term strategies, and invest in development programs that enhance skills and career paths. This environment of security and stability allows businesses to thrive on established routines and known variables.

Meanwhile during times of change, this landscape shifts dramatically. The foundations upon which businesses build their strategies can be shaken, leading to operational disruptions and strategic uncertainty. For employees, this can result in stress, decreased morale, and disengagement. Organisations that lack resilience see their teams struggle under pressure, unable to adapt or pivot towards new opportunities.

Today’s organisations are bracing for a turbulent future, navigating an ever-expanding horizon of challenges. Beyond the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) environment, significant shifts such as leadership changes, mergers, and acquisitions, the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), remote work, digital transformation, and a heightened focus on employee well-being are reshaping the workplace. These dynamic changes exert prolonged stress on employees, testing their adaptability and resilience, and highlighting the critical need for robust strategies to support and strengthen the workforce.

The new normal: Building resilience at work

The reality is that changes and disruptions are here to stay. Building resilience is essential for future-proofing organisations against the unpredictable. Today’s businesses need a toolkit designed to enhance employees’ adaptive capacities and resilience. This preparation enables them to withstand current challenges, leverage opportunities from change, and maintain well-being while being proactively prepared for future challenges. This strategic focus fortifies organisations against immediate disruptions and cultivates a culture of enduring strength, positioning them to flourish in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Why resilience matters more than ever?

Given the fast-paced and evolving needs of organisations, employees face increasing pressure to do more with less, meet rising customer expectations, tackle complex problems, and stay competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace, building resilience has become a key strategic priority.

To truly thrive, employees need more than just coping mechanisms; they need robust strategies that allow them to excel despite these pressures while maintaining both physical and mental well-being.

Research consistently shows that resilient organisations outperform their competitors and adapt to changes more effectively. A McKinsey survey revealed that companies with high resilience scores are 20% more likely to report successful performance and rapid recovery from disruptions. This is crucial as businesses face ongoing challenges such as technological disruptions, market volatility, and internal shifts.

Further studies demonstrate that individuals with higher resilience levels navigate crises better, manage illnesses or chronic pain more effectively, and experience better physical and mental health outcomes. A 2020 Forbes article reported that resilience training could reduce average depression symptoms by 33-44%, showcasing its profound impact on mental health and well-being.

Given these findings, it’s clear that resilience is paramount to success. But before we build resilience at work, it’s important to understand exactly what we’re aiming to develop.

What is resilience in the workplace? 

Traditionally, resilience meant the ability to bounce back from adversity. However, in today’s world of constant volatility and ambiguity, this narrow definition is insufficient. Organisations now face continuous change as the new normal. Companies must cultivate a robust framework to bolster their employees’ resilience.

Kathryn McEwen’s an organisational psychologist and Global Lead of Working With Resilience toolkit redefines resilience as the capacity to manage everyday work stress while staying healthy, adapting, learning from setbacks, and proactively preparing for future challenges. This concept shifts the focus from merely surviving immediate stressors to thriving in a perpetually changing work landscape.

This redefinition helps organisations adapt to current demands and equips them to capitalize on future opportunities, intertwining resilience directly with strategic business goals. This approach positions resilience not just as a defensive strategy but as a proactive tool that enhances organisational agility and competitiveness.

Not by accident! Building resilience at work

The good news is that building resilience at work is not only possible but can be systematically achieved with the right tools and strategies. Among the many assessments available, the Resilience at Work (R@W) toolkit stands out. Developed by Kathryn McEwen, an organisational psychologist and Global Lead of Working With Resilience, this toolkit provides a comprehensive approach to enhancing resilience at every level of an organisation.

The R@W toolkit is designed to measure and build resilience through a systemic approach, recognizing that individual, team, and leadership resilience are interconnected. This means that effective interventions must consider the whole system, rather than coaching individuals in isolation. The evidence shows that organisational change requires a systemic approach, integrating efforts across all levels to create lasting impact.

The R@W toolkit blends practical actions to manage stress with strategies from positive psychology, creating a holistic framework that considers the complexity of resilience in the workplace. The toolkit includes three inter-related models:

• R@W Individual Assessment: Focuses on personal resilience by evaluating how individuals manage daily work stress, maintain health, adapt to setbacks, and prepare for future challenges.
• R@W Team Assessment: Enhances team resilience by measuring the collective capacity of a team to perform under pressure, adapt to change, and achieve sustainable success.
• R@W Leader Assessment: Cultivates resilience within leadership by providing strategies that leaders can use to foster a resilient work culture.

Each model stands independently but, when applied together, they provide a powerful way to systemically build resilience at work. The toolkit is designed with practical actions that individuals and teams can implement within their scope of influence, aligning with organisational goals and promoting both well-being and job performance.

By taking a systemic approach, the R@W toolkit ensures that resilience is built into the core of the organisation, supporting employees, teams, and leaders in navigating the complexities of the modern workplace. This scientific evidence-based practice helps organisations communicate and foster the necessary actions to build resilience, ensuring they are not only prepared for current challenges but also positioned to thrive in the future. 

Conclusion: A resilient future

In a world where change is the only constant, the ability to build and sustain resilience is not just a strategic advantage—it’s a necessity. As organisations face unprecedented disruptions and challenges, resilience becomes the cornerstone of not just surviving but thriving in this dynamic landscape.

The Resilience at Work (R@W) toolkit provides a robust, evidence-based framework that empowers individuals, teams, and leaders to develop and strengthen their resilience. By integrating practical actions with systemic approaches, the R@W toolkit ensures that resilience is woven into the very core of an organisation. This holistic approach not only addresses the immediate challenges but also positions organisations to capitalize on future opportunities.

Imagine a workplace where stress is managed effectively, where adaptability is second nature, and where leaders foster an environment of support and growth. This is the promise of Resilience at Work (R@W). It transforms how we approach work, how we handle pressure, and ultimately, how we achieve success.