By International SOS

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is unmatched in scale and impact across all countries and sectors. It has revolutionised the way we work and live, forcing employers and employees to adopt and adapt to a ‘new norm”.

As employees will eventually return to work, Human Resources management will never be the same. Organisation’s HR and Senior executives are in urgent needs of a new playbook to build a safe, sustainable and resilient future for their workforce. Failure to do so could result in a backwards step in workforce wellbeing, while reducing productivity and threatening business continuity.

For most companies, it has become essential to adapt to this new norm, explore how they can build their workforce resilience while protecting their employees against the long-term effects of such crisis.

Why do organisations need resilient workers?

Resilient people and the one who seems to sail through rough times. When the situation gets tough, they face the challenges, they bounce back and they get going. Whether they need to adapt their schedules due to delays in the offshore rotation, or work from home in time of lockdowns, those with greater resilience have developed strategies to handle the situation, manage stress and frustration, and adapt quickly to find solutions.

The positive emotions that accompany a resilient attitude are thought to boost immune systems and build a more positive mindset. Increased productivity stems from a resilient person’s ability to more easily bounce back, meaning they are less likely to suffer from illness, use fewer days of sick leave and are more likely to be effective in the workplace.

Therefore, it has become critical for organisations to put greater emphasis on stress management and emotional wellness, which in turn breeds more physically healthy employees. When employees learn how to go through difficult time and handle set-backs, instead of feeling overwhelmed and challenged, he/she will be able to remain unfazed and find a way through a difficult time, be ready and willing to learn new skills or take on new roles when required. A hugely important and beneficial trait to display when organisations are experiencing periods of change.

How do you teach or develop resilience?

Resilience is a key skill which people can develop and learn, especially with the support of companies, including both employers and colleagues. Each organisation has different needs and external support can be relevant to implement comprehensive solutions with bespoke services, building a culture of resilience that suit the needs of your company.

It can take the form of

• Health advisory services and on-line training, such as Life Resilience sessions
• Emotional support services to better cope with difficult situations 
• Wellness programmes to assess your current health and wellness status with specific campaigns to strengthen employees’ physical and mental health,
• Support for Managers to help them identify and address risks among their teams, and learn all aspects of building resilience
• Medical and security assistance to support emergency care with end-to-end case management solutions.

At International SOS, we believe that building resilience is a key component to strengthen both your people and your organisation. You can better anticipate and respond to your employees’ needs, increase your company profile and reputation, maintain higher productivity levels and secure your operations continuity in most circumstances. As it raises the bar across your employees, every company should explore ways to nurture a resilient workforce.

For anyone interested in finding out more about International SOS’ health and security solutions and how they can support your mental health wellbeing please contact us at marc.roux@internationalsos.com