Very few people go through life without suffering a trauma of some description, and when this happens, it can be difficult to deal with. It could be dealing with the loss of a loved one or friend, or it could be dealing with stress, or if could be other personal issues.
If we dived a few back a few decades ago, employees were told to deal with their personal problems outside of work, and for many, this just wasn’t possible and led to serious and, in some cases, fatal consequences. Businesses across the world started to recognise problems that employees faced, and started to come around to the idea that they would need help at work as well help outside it.
Developing resilience, the ability to bounce back after an traumatic event or events, is not something that happens overnight but something that is learned. In a previous article, the five top tips included exercise, relaxation, talking, balance and routines, but there were other factors that could have been added including:
- Looking after yourself. This is more about eating right, sleeping right, taking breaks, and making sure you have time to indulge in your own personal projects.
- Seek help from others. If something unexpected happens, it can be difficult to deal with. It’s even more difficult if you haven’t faced or experienced anything like it before. Reaching out to colleagues, especially managers, can be instrumental in coming to terms with difficult news. When other people have experienced what you are going through, quite often they will have advice that’ll make sense.
- Exercise. Employees who experience burnout, for example, will often be told by a doctor to exercise, and it’s not uncommon to hear this for people who aren’t going through trauma. Exercise works in two ways. First, it makes you think about something else while you are doing it and second, it uses up energy that might have prevented you from getting a good night’s sleep.
- Relax. This one is straight forward but works. Try to find a spa or relaxation treatment that you can book quick and take some time out. It could be a massage, for example. If this is too expensive, or time is an issue, a visit to a local swimming baths could also work, especially if they have a jacuzzi or steam sauna section.
- Balance. This one is trickier because it relies on achieving a work-life balance, and for many this consists of reducing your work hours or trying to squidge in those personal projects of yours after work, which isn’t always possible, especially if you have kids. Some employers have flexible working hours, so it could be the case of just asking if what you want is possible.
In what way or ways can an employer utilise resilience training?
There has never been a time where employee mental wellbeing has been more important. We’re just rebounding from a pandemic, inflation is hitting new dizzy heights, plus Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is putting pressure on groceries and other items. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report 2022 states that “stress among the world’s workers reached an all-time high – again” with 44% of employees experiencing high levels of stress from their previous day’s work.
So, what can employers do?
Well, the easiest and most efficient way to look after employees is by implementing and using HR tech, like a digital HR platform that works on desktop and mobile devices. This way, employees can log in to their benefits and book relaxation treatments, take part in company organised events like running, book psychologist appointments, or reach out to colleagues for help. Using a state-of-the-art HR platform is the easiest way to offer benefits to help mental wellbeing, especially resilience training.
Company organised events is just one such example of resilience training, but it could also be the case that employers want to roll out informational videos through the platform, detailing how employees can receive help. This could include: better understanding of ourselves, emotion regulation, how to recognise self insights, how to achieve goals (work or personal), understanding strengths and weaknesses, and developing self-esteem. If some of these are offered then employers should find that their employees work better, are more productive, and this will lead to a better work environment. Employees will also want to stay working for their employer if they know they will be supported in the future. We have no idea what the future holds – the least a company can do is provide a safety net.