Page 7 - BOSS Today Issue 60

BOSS Today #60

BUILDING AS THE BUSINESS WORLD NAVIGATES

ITS WAY OUT OF THE STRESSES CAUSED
THE BY THE COVID PANDEMIC AND THE

NEW COMPLEXITIES OF HYBRID

BOUNCE WORKING, THE IMPORTANCE OF
WORKPLACE RESILIENCE HAS VERY

MUCH COME TO THE FORE.

roadly, workplace resilience can be can support any challenges that team
Bdefined as “responding positively to members are experiencing. Leadership
pressure, recovering from challenges, must have clear, consistent messaging Having a board and senior
handling adversity, and identifying throughout the business, with roadmaps
and overcoming obstacles as learning in place for future growth plans, including leadership team focused on
opportunities.” how teams are able to grow with training this is important: they can’t
How is this currently being addressed and support.” This advice even goes as far
within our industry? We asked the four as embracing tech development, especially build a resilient team if
business leaders who ran the Round AI: teams should be made aware of the they haven’t got resilience
Table sessions at the recent Leaders of benefits of AI, and training and support themselves!
the Future conference to give us their on role changes should be given where
thoughts: applicable.
Indeed, what is clear is that a culture
Jo Marshall of trust must be established as a priority
Executive Director, YPO across the business, as Ian Buckley notes:
Ian Buckley “When people feel trusted, they are
Managing Director, Prima Software equipped to take responsibility for their
Stuart Derbyshire actions and make more positive decisions,
Chief Sales Officer, OT Group knowing that they have management Jo Marshall
Jeanette Caswell support. Once trust is established, it filters Executive Director, YPO
Managing Director, Office Friendly through peer relationships, encouraging
better communication between individuals
Lay The Foundations and departments – and this is crucial in
Firstly, we asked our panellists how they pulling people together when the going
believed companies could build workplace gets tough.” Trust is also very important When people feel trusted,
resilience. Jo Marshall was keen to point in creating an honest feedback loop, they are equipped to take
out that this really has to start at the top, allowing the team to candidly reflect on
with management firstly understanding situations and challenges and treat them responsibility for their
what resilience actually means and how as a learning exercise, thereby equipping actions and make more positive
this might apply both to themselves and the team to manage similar scenarios
their workforce: “Having a board and better in the future. decisions, knowing that they
senior leadership team focused on this is Overall, this means that the creation have management support.
important: they can’t build a resilient team of a positive company culture is a
if they haven’t got resilience themselves! prerequisite, as Jeanette Caswell explains:
Staff are looking for guidance and advice; “Creating a positive work environment
they are looking for a steady hand to steer gives a solid foundation for building
them through difficult times.” resilience and helps to foster a culture that
Once that is in place, openness and is respectful and inclusive. It is important
consistency throughout the organisation to encourage open communication across
are vital, as Stuart Derbyshire explains: the team, using a variety of different
“Promote an open forum for sharing channels so everyone has a route where Ian Buckley
news, both good and bad, plus how you they feel comfortable to speak up and Managing Director, Prima Software

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