Burnout is currently at alarmingly high levels, and that can mean bad news for your workforce – and your bottom line. Burnout increases absenteeism, presenteeism, and attrition, resulting in lost productivity, brain drain, and weakened company culture. But by creating a workplace where connections and relationships are valued, you can ensure that your employees feel psychologically safe, valued, and supported.
The upshot? They’ll be better able to adapt, meet challenges and deal with failure. And they’ll be much more likely to stick around long-term. Welcome to the world of the resilient team.
What Does a Resilient Team Look Like?
A resilient team is one that’s supportive, collaborative, and responsive to changing needs or challenges. The shared traits of resilient teams include:
- Ability to push through in tough times. Resilient teams work together and continue to perform at a high level in the face of change – whether that change is planned or unplanned. They ask questions, gather resources, and work past roadblocks instead of being stopped by them.
- Effectiveness and adaptability in the face of change. Resilient teams are not only persistent; they’re effective. They’re willing to try new methods, course correct, and take on board new information to efficiently handle change in a timely manner.
- Positivity and a future-focused aspect. Resilient teams focus on outcomes and evidence of growth instead of dwelling on past issues or assigning blame. They’re optimistic about what’s next and their ability to meet new challenges.
- A focus on supportiveness and wellbeing. Resilient teams support each other and take steps to foster individual and group wellbeing through activities, initiatives, and opportunities to connect and provide feedback.
- Shared values, purpose, and self-awareness. Resilient teams are composed of people working towards the same goals and objectives – and who have insight into their own strengths, weaknesses, and needs. This is critical to forging a strong team culture.
A team that demonstrates these traits will help your business thrive.
Tips for Creating a Resilient Team
To create a team that endures no matter what gets thrown your way, try these.
- Make team members feel safe, included, and appreciated. Use names, make eye contact, offer feedback and positive reinforcement, trust team members to make decisions, and encourage them to come forward with new ideas.
- Foster an environment of belonging and connection. Relationship building is critical to team culture. Encourage each other, share stories, celebrate wins, and talk about what’s on your mind.
- Focus on impact and meaning. We all want to feel that what we do matters. Identify what matters to your team members and align it with the group’s purpose – and the organization’s larger one.
- Celebrate clarity and communication. Missing information, unclear responsibilities or deadlines, and hard-to-follow directions can undermine a team’s hard work. Make sure everyone knows their role, reports, tasks, and deadlines, and highlight the importance of clear, effective, regular communication.
- Keep it positive and forward-looking. A stressed, overworked team that sees no path forward is a recipe for burnout. Build positive energy by inviting input or suggestions, recognizing hard work, and offering coaching and career development opportunities.
- Give your team the tools and resources they need. Having power over your processes fosters autonomy and confidence. Provide access to technology, processes, or tools to help streamline or simplify workflows, and encourage team members to engage in ongoing learning and professional development.
The more resilient your teams, the more likely they’ll thrive during this time of change and adaptation – reducing burnout and improving your organizational outcomes. If your teams are struggling to adjust to the new normal, talk to the experts at StellaPop. We can help you build an empowered, resilient team able to meet any business challenge effectively.
See Also:
Creativity is Key to Business Agility
CEO Insight: Building Employee Accountability
Team-First: Bring Your Team Out of Surviving and Into Thriving
