Get work-ready skills: How to stay resilient
Building up your resilience is key to getting work-ready, whether you are starting out on the first rung of the job ladder or are looking for promotion.
Being able to recover quickly from setbacks will stand you in good stead throughout your career, as the pace of change accelerates in the workplace.
To look after your wellbeing, you will generally need to be aware of any signs of stress, such as:
- sleep problems
- anxiety
- consuming too much alcohol
Companies are likely to have to spend a lot more time on the mental health of their employees, particularly as people start to reintegrate on the way out of the pandemic.
In January 2020, a Deloitte report on mental health and employers found that the costs to UK employers of poor mental health was £45 billion.
There has been a shift over the past 10 years to provide support for staff after high-profile cases such as Antonio Horta-Osario, the then Lloyds bank chief executive, who took a leave of absence in 2011 after suffering from stress-induced insomnia.
That experience led him to review support for the bank’s 65,000 employees and introduce a number of measures, including mental health officers. Many other companies have followed his lead.
But the aftermath of COVID-19 has brought much uncertainty and your job could be at risk, particularly if you are in mid- to upper-management, or you may be finding it tough just to get an interview.
It can feel like there is constant reorganisation and new technology can push your role around, which can make you feel on edge.
You can end up suffering from an “ambiguous loss”, which is when you do not feel in control of your own destiny or you do not feel safe or you do not trust your leaders to answer you correctly.
How resilient you are may affect how well you cope when faced with any workplace challenges.
But you can learn how to adapt well and bounce back rapidly after a stressful event.
What you can do
- Take regular exercise to help reduce stress and anxiety.
- Learn techniques to manage negative thoughts and focus on the positives and even view life’s challenges as opportunities.
- Build your own board of advisors. Having a network of influential supporters, in work and externally, will help you to keep perspective and also focus on your own career. A handful of strong connections is usually more beneficial than a large number of weaker acquaintances.
- Find a mentor and join a peer-support group to widen your network.
- Finally, be kind to yourself and take a break. Switch off from the busyness of the day and focus your mind on something else, such as a hobby, book, friends or meditation.
About the author
Lyndsey Jones is the lead author of Going Digital, to be published by Pearson and FT Publishing in October 2021.
This content has been created by authors in their personal capacity. Any views, thoughts and opinions expressed belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Pearson.