Coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on businesses and economic activity across the globe. Australian businesses that were forecasting growth and planning to recruit only a few months back are unwittingly shutting their doors.
THE STORY CURRENTLY
From corporates facing overseas supply chain disruption through to sole traders in every town, all are faced with sudden loss of income. All are suffering from threatened cash flow. All are fighting to survive.
And as long as the pandemic continues to limit global economic activity, Aussie businesses will be tested to their limit. Yet at the same time, we also need to be thinking ahead – to the eventual recovery. When the immediate crisis has passed. It will be businesses of every shape and size that power the nation back to prosperity once again.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
So, the task at hand is two-fold. We must do everything we can to save businesses and jobs now. At the same time we also need to put conditions in place for business to rebuild and renew. This will take all our strength. Communal strength. Industry strength. Leadership strength. We can and will do it. But it starts with that buzz word – resilience. And ultimately, resilience training and changing the mindset.
What if we told you resilience can be learnt?
Resilience Training has been a part of the HBB Group’s learning modules for some time now. But never before have we witnessed such a demand for a particular training course. Teaching resilience techniques to corporate teams, leaders and all levels of business has been rewarding. But it has also revealed that, at some point in our lives, we need to check in with our strengths and weaknesses. We need to, every now and then, run a personal audit on our own coping mechanisms.
WHY DO PEOPLE SHY AWAY FROM THAT WORD?
Surely having resilient employees would be of great benefit and value to any organisation?
But there seems to be a raised-eyebrow reaction when we utter the word, resilience. Perhaps it is the context in which it is often used that set about this line of thinking.
Previously, ‘resilience’ was used (sometimes overused) in the media only when natural disasters occur. And of course the individuals and towns involved have to very quickly learn or sharpen their resilience. This was in the face of enormous emotional, environmental and financial upheaval. Resilience in the wake of hardship many of us could ever imagine.
However, the fact disaster regions have developed a ‘resilient town strategy’ suggests it goes beyond merely disaster management. It goes into the realm of, how do we all learn how to be resilient? Why is there such a massive need for resilience training both professionally, and personally?
For Tailored Resilience Training
SO HOW IS THIS AKIN TO BUSINESS RESILIENCE?
If resiliency is only seen as for times of turmoil then one can see how it can often be seen as negative.
But the true definition of resiliency is not about ‘waiting for a disaster to happen’ and then switching into ‘survival mode’. It is defined as the process of proactively adapting in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, or significant sources of stress. And we know, these “sources of stress” can mean anything from family and relationship problems, health ailments, or workplace and financial stressors. But note the key term here is – ‘proactively adapting’. Just look at how organisations have changed their HR Strategy since the unwanted arrival of COVID.
We need to move beyond the concept of resiliency being merely surviving to actually thriving in times of uncertainty.
LEARNING RESILIENCE
Building resilient employees and teams requires a focus on forward thinking and a cultural shift.
Not just a disaster recovery plan or a one-off workshop. Proper resilience training equips people with tools for life. A manual that can be pulled out at any time and applied to any situation.
Teaching resilience as a life skill involves understanding what makes up resilient individuals and teams. And then, creating a sustainable plan to cultivate and develop resiliency. This learning style is to be taught as an ongoing development objective.
In this era where the topic of mental health and depression no longer holds the same stigma of past years, organisations have a responsibility to their people. Especially during these emotionally charged times. Furthermore, it is crucial they address the topic as part of their HR Procedures.
To find out more about our Resilience: How to Strive to Thrive Workshop, contact us today at Healthy Business Builder 1300 833 574 or email info@healthybusinessbuilder.com.au for a confidential conversation.
