How to Build Resilient Workforces

What if your employees could not just survive but thrive in high-pressure environments? A recent study introduces a comprehensive skills-based model of resilience that empowers individuals to adapt, recover, and grow from workplace challenges. This model, grounded in evidence-based practices, offers a practical framework for leaders to foster well-being and performance. Key Components of the Model: 🌟 Emotional Resilience: Helps employees manage stress by regulating emotions and calming the physiological response to threats. Example Techniques: Mindfulness, controlled breathing, and cultivating positive emotions. #ResilienceBuilding #StressManagement 💡 Resilient Thinking: Encourages flexible and optimistic mindsets to navigate challenges. Example: Train employees to reframe negative events into opportunities for learning and growth. #GrowthMindset #CognitiveFlexibility 🚀 Resilient Behaviors: Focuses on recovery and balance by promoting self-care and realistic goal-setting. Action: Implement job crafting initiatives to help employees align tasks with personal strengths. #WorkLifeBalance #EmployeeWellbeing Practical Steps for Leaders: Incorporate Resilience Training: Use evidence-based modules to teach employees skills like emotional regulation and realistic optimism. Lead by Example: Train managers to model resilience through transparent communication and proactive problem-solving. Create a Supportive Environment: Foster strong social connections within teams to build trust and mutual support. This model highlights that resilience is not an innate trait but a skill set that can be cultivated. By integrating resilience-building practices into workplace culture, leaders can enhance employee well-being, reduce burnout, and drive long-term success. 💡 Quick Tip: Start by introducing mindfulness sessions or reflective exercises in team meetings to boost self-awareness and emotional regulation. What resilience strategies have you found effective? Let’s share ideas! #LeadershipForChange #ResilientWorkforce #ThrivingAtWork Baker, F. R. L., Baker, K. L., & Burrell, J. (2021). Introducing the skills-based model of personal resilience: Drawing on content and process factors to build resilience in the workplace. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 94(2), 458–481. https://lnkd.in/g9APjhEF

Louder for the people at the back 🎤 Many organisations today seem to have shifted from being institutions that develop great talent to those that primarily seek ready-made talent. This trend overlooks the immense value of individuals who, despite lacking experience, possess a great attitude, commitment, and a team-oriented mindset. These qualities often outweigh the drawbacks of hiring experienced individuals with a fixed and toxic mindset. The best organisations attract talent with their best years ahead of them, focusing on potential rather than past achievements. Let’s be clear this is more about mindset and willingness to learn and unlearn as apposed to age. To realise the incredible potential return, organisations must commit to creating an environment where continuous development is possible. This requires a multi-faceted approach: 1. Robust Training Programmes: Employers should invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip employees with the necessary skills for their roles. This includes on-the-job training, mentorship programmes, online courses, and workshops. 2. Redefining Hiring Criteria: Organisations should revise their hiring criteria to focus more on candidates’ potential and willingness to learn rather than solely on prior experience or formal qualifications. Behavioural interviews, aptitude tests, and probationary periods can help assess a candidate's ability to learn and adapt. 3. Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Companies can collaborate with educational institutions to design curricula that align with industry needs. Apprenticeship programmes, internships, and cooperative education can bridge the gap between academic learning and practical job skills. 4. Lifelong Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture of lifelong learning within organisations is crucial. Employers should provide ongoing education opportunities and support for professional development. This includes continuous skills assessment and access to resources for upskilling and reskilling. 5. Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Employers should implement inclusive recruitment practices that remove biases and barriers. Blind recruitment, diversity quotas, and targeted outreach programmes can help ensure that diverse candidates are given a fair chance. By implementing these measures, organisations can develop a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and resilient, ensuring sustainable success and growth.

The gap I am focused on most these days when it comes to AI at work, is the gap between employees and employers. We know that 75% of knowledge workers are using GAI on the job, saying it’s not just helping them save time to focus on more important work but also to bring more human skills to their work, like creativity. But we also know that only 39% of those workers have been trained on AI at work, as companies struggle still to come up with a point of view on AI as well as a strategy for workforce development in the age of AI. If your company is struggling on that part, one thing you can do is look to those who are leading the way. IBM and Siemens are great examples of companies who are two steps ahead of most, moving beyond the incremental early days of AI towards the real, transformative benefits. I was inspired by my conversation a few weeks ago with Nickle LaMoreaux and Brenda Discher who are not only innovating with AI at scale, but keeping people at the center of it all. Across those conversations and many others I’m having, a few key foundational steps are emerging: 1️⃣ Have a pro-human AI point of view and strategy in place. AI has the potential to build a world of work where people can bring their full skills and abilities to bear — but we need to believe in the power of our people more than the power of our tech to realize it. 2️⃣ See jobs as tasks, not titles. Once you boil down a job down into a set of tasks, it’s much easier to see where AI is coming in to change or disrupt some of those tasks and where there are uniquely human skills people will spend much more time on then before. In a world where 68% of skills are set to change by 2030, understanding where this change will hit is crucial to helping your teams stay resilient. 3️⃣ Build learning into the day to day of your company’s culture. As skills for jobs change rapidly – learning is no longer a one-off moment at the start of a career. The ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn is what sets teams apart to stay agile and resilient. 

Uncertainty is not the exception. It is the leadership test. The latest developments in the Middle East once again underline how interconnected global economies and labour markets are. Volatility in energy, geopolitics and markets impacts Europe — but it does not change one fundamental truth: talent remains the decisive growth factor. Across Europe, demand in the labour market is not disappearing. It is transforming. Skills shortages, digitalisation and demographic change continue to reshape industries — creating opportunity for organisations that take a long‑term view. At Hays, we see this every day. One of our European clients, facing cost pressure and uncertainty, chose not to freeze hiring entirely — but to rethink it. By reskilling internal talent, redeploying critical skills and using a more flexible workforce model, they stabilised their business and positioned themselves for growth once market conditions improved. This is what people transformation looks like in practice. A growth mindset does not deny geopolitical risk. It focuses on capability. It asks: How do we reskill? How do we mobilise talent? How do we build resilience through people? 👉 In a volatile world, growth belongs to the organisations that put the right people and skills at the centre of their strategy.

Stop treating employees like machines. Leaders: if you’re only focused on deadlines and output, don’t be surprised when burnout, disengagement, and turnover follow. Here’s the reality: employees aren’t programmed to grind nonstop from 9-to-5. They’re human beings with needs beyond tasks and targets. Want to build a team that’s resilient, motivated, and truly committed? Here’s where to start: • Show Empathy: Understand the challenges your team faces, both at work and beyond. • Offer Flexibility: Trust your employees to manage their time and balance their lives. • Create Space to Recharge: Encourage breaks, rest, and time off without guilt. • Lead with Humanity: Recognize that happy, healthy employees are more productive employees. Remember, treating people like people isn’t just good leadership—it’s good business. What’s one way you’ve made empathy and flexibility a priority in your workplace? Let’s hear your thoughts.

Resilience Is a Team Sport Entrepreneurship often feels like a solo journey, but the truth is, resilience isn't something we build alone. In my journey, I've learned that resilience thrives when we surround ourselves with the right people—mentors, peers, colleagues, friends—who can offer perspective, encouragement, and honest feedback. No one achieves success in isolation, and the same goes for resilience. Here's what I've discovered about building collective resilience: 1️⃣ Share your struggles openly When leaders show vulnerability, it creates a safe space for others to do the same. This openness builds trust and strengthens team bonds. 2️⃣ Celebrate small wins together One I still struggle with myself! Every milestone, no matter how small, deserves recognition. It fuels motivation and reminds us that progress is happening. 3️⃣ Create support systems Regular check-ins, mentorship programs, and peer groups provide the backbone for sustainable resilience. I am so grateful to the mentors and peer groups I am a part of - without these, it would be incredibly difficult. 4️⃣ Learn from setbacks collectively When things go wrong, gather the team to reflect, learn, and plan the path forward. Shared experiences build shared strength. 5️⃣ Practice empathy Understanding each other's challenges helps create a culture where everyone feels supported during tough times. It's also about fostering resilience within your team. As leaders, we have a responsibility to create environments where challenges are met with support and growth, not fear. Remember: The strongest businesses aren't built on individual resilience, but on the collective ability to bounce back together. How have others helped you build resilience in your life or career? And how are you helping others do the same? --- 📌 Follow me, Amrit Chandan, for more insights. 👍🏽 I am building my new venture, Lorefully, openly to help other founders in the process! 😎 I also coach and speak on the Entrepreneurial Journey.

𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮. A Fortune 500 company lost 40% of their cloud engineering team in 2023—not to competitors, but to burnout. Their mistake? Equating “resilience” with “work harder.” Here’s how to rebuild smarter. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶��𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗽 ◾ 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 60% of IT pros say their training hasn’t kept pace with AI/cloud demands (Gartner). ◾ 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶: 78% of tech teams experience chronic stress (Slack 2024). ◾ 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲: 52% of engineers spend more time fixing legacy systems than building new solutions (Harvard Business Review). 𝟯 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝟭. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 • Run monthly “chaos drills” (e.g., simulate ransomware attacks/AWS outages). • Reward teams for 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 failures, not just wins. 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦: Cisco’s cybersecurity team cut breach response time by 70% after gamifying crisis scenarios. 𝟮. 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 • Let engineers choose projects aligned with their curiosity (20% time). • Offer “reset sabbaticals”: 2 weeks off after grueling sprints. 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵: Teams with autonomy report 45% higher resilience (MIT). 𝟯. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 • Partner with platforms like Coursera to future-proof talent (e.g., quantum prep now). • Cross-train sysadmins in AI ops to combat role obsolescence. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Salesforce’s “Trailblazer” program reduced hiring costs by $18M/year. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗢𝗜 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 • Teams with psychological safety deploy code 2x faster (Google). • Microsoft saw 31% lower attrition after implementing “no-meeting Wednesdays.” • Resilient IT orgs weather market dips with 50% less productivity loss (Forrester). 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲: Resilience isn’t about surviving storms. It’s about 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 in the rain—and building arks before the flood. #ITLeadership #TeamResilience #FutureOfWork

Disruption doesn’t send calendar invites. In fast-moving, high-growth firms, speed often conceals weak foundations. I’ve seen delivery teams hit turbulence: client urgency, leadership gaps, or sudden events that expose brittle assumptions. True resilience begins before the crisis arrives. Most plans look solid - until they’re needed. They fail not from lack of thought, but lack of testing. That moment someone says “we’ve got a plan” - that’s when you must lean in. Fewer than 25% of firms with formal plans ever practise them. Common failure points in leadership rooms: ➤ Client urgency drowning out risk signals ➤ Delivery teams faltering when a senior principal is unavailable ➤ Polished slides masking fragile assumptions Let’s look at a UK-rooted example with global resonance: In July 2024, a routine update from CrowdStrike took out millions of global endpoints, including many in the UK. Systems crashed across financial firms, retail, manufacturing, and public services. Yet recovery was rapid: teams switched to manual processes, diagnostics ran in real time, patches were rolled back, and core services were restored within hours. It wasn’t a cyber-attack - it was a software failure - but the resilience came from practising failure scenarios and maintaining clear communications. So what do truly resilient firms do differently? ✅ Stress-test relationships, not just protocols → “What if our biggest client pauses mid-project?” ✅ Plan for team absence, not just process failure → “What happens if our lead partner is offline from Day 1?” ✅ Build internal trust before disruption → When chaos hits, people must instinctively believe in each other ✅ Prioritise real-time insight over polished hindsight → Waiting two days to report insight? That insight is gone Here’s the shift: Resilient teams don’t just weather disruption - they use it to transform. They don’t hold the line - they reinvent it. Ask yourself: What’s one fragile assumption in your delivery model that’s never been pressure-tested in real time? ♻️ Share this with someone leading through high-stakes moments. 📌 Follow Richard Goold for reflections on strategic resilience, adaptive leadership, and clarity under pressure.

Why your high performers are leaving—and how to stop it. (If you want to keep your top talent, read on) I see it everywhere… Talented, high-performing people with so much to offer, walking out the door. For organizations, it’s heartbreaking. Years of training, investment, and potential: Gone. And it’s not because of workload or salary. It’s because they don’t feel empowered to grow in a world that’s changing fast. Here’s how you can stop the talent drain and help your team thrive: 1. Well-being first ✅ Offer mental health resources (coaching, therapy) ✅ Encourage regular recovery time ✅ Build a culture that values balance over burnout 2. Build change-ready skills ✅ Provide training in adaptive thinking & problem-solving ✅ Offer workshops on navigating uncertainty ✅ Focus on skill-building in future-focused areas 3. Nurture personal growth ✅ Give stretch assignments that push them ✅ Create space for experimentation ✅ Provide mentorship that focuses on navigating change 4. Shift from control to empowerment ✅ Involve them in decisions ✅ Shift metrics to focus on growth, not just output ✅ Encourage a culture where new ideas can challenge the norm 5. Connect them to the bigger picture ✅ Share the company vision and how their role fits in ✅ Highlight how their work moves the needle for the team ✅ Offer leadership opportunities tied to the future of the company When you build your team’s capacity to adapt, you don’t just retain talent. You create a workforce that thrives on growth and resilience. PS. How are you keeping your top talent engaged and growing? #ChangeManagement #Leadership #TalentRetention #CapacityToChange