It’s a buzzword as of late, but what does resilience really mean? And, as a manager, how can you help our employees build resilience for our stressful times? 

Let’s start with a definition: Resilience means the ability to withstand difficult times, to have the tools to help manage stress and proceed forward with a clear mind and the ability to adapt to difficult times without losing control of emotions. It might be easier said than done, but it’s a great skill to have. It just takes a little practicing, a little nurturing and some trial and error, just like building any other kind of muscle or skill. 

Here’s how, as a manager, you can help your team develop the tools and skills they need to boost their own resilience and navigate any stressful situation our world throws at them. 

• Let’s start with the basics: Change is a predictable part of life. We all know that change happens. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not so great. But it is inevitable. We know that it will happen, we just might not know when or how. To help your team with navigating change, lead by example: Communicate any unexpected hiccups or redirections clearly and as soon as you can, conveying your confidence that things will work out just fine in the end and that it’s nothing they can’t handle. Remind them that you understand things might feel a little confusing, but you’re there to provide support and instruction to the best of your ability so they can come to you with any questions or concerns. 

• Lead with a positive tone. Even if you’re frustrated, as a manager, your team will model your response to things. If you come out optimistic and positive, they’ll go with you. Yes, sometimes that means putting on a good, strong face when you might not really feel that way at the time, but it’s important for your employees to see you as confident and prepare to move forward. 

• Remember the big picture. Things might be a little stressful and uncomfortable when a big change is announced, or even when little things are readjusted. (If you’ve ever had a company go through a move while you worked there, you know how stressful it can be to reestablish your desk, let alone the actual moving process.) Keep in mind the longer-term goals and that this feeling of unease or discomfort, maybe even confusion, will pass. Remind your team that you’ll get through this, together, and will be stronger and more capable for it. 

• Be supportive. Keep your door open for your employees who need to talk. Tell them that their concerns are understandable, but be supportive and remind them of their skills, abilities and strengths. Tell them you’re confident that they’ll be fine and might even be happier when things fall into place. You’re all going through this together; make sure your team knows you’re there for them, not just giving orders and walking away. 

• Remember the importance of self-care. Sometimes it’s all too much and we need to step away to get our bearings. Remind your team that they have time off available to them and, at the end of a stressful period, it’s important that they take good care of themselves to continue moving forward. It’s important for everyone to take breaks, to eat nutritious food, to drink plenty of water and to get enough rest, both in terms of sleep and time away from stressful situations. We need to be very mindful of this especially when things feel intense and here, too, is another way you can lead by example. Turn your phone off at the end of the day and let your employees know you’re not reachable during off hours; this shows them they can also be done for the day when they clock out. 

So much resilience comes from learning to take care of yourself, having a supportive team on which to rely and keeping a clear mind with a focus on the future. If you need to practice resilience before leading your team in that direction, be honest about it and take them on the journey with you! 

If adding more people to your team would help build resilience and strength, give Davis Staffing a call! Not only can our recruiters help find great people who will add experience and knowledge to your team, we can provide advice on how to help bring new people in and ease that transition as well. Time to contact Davis Staffing!