A resilient organisation is one that’s defined by its ability to weather change and adapt quickly. Resilience is desired by leaders but not many proactively nurture a culture that can withstand hardship, partly because they don’t know how to. Instead, they rely heavily on the capacity of individuals to tolerate adversity, sometimes pushing their people to the limit when times get tough. Encouraging employees to endure is far from the best way to nurture workplace resilience however, and organisations should instead lean on the power of recognition to encourage and champion resilient behaviours.
Resilience is not analogue
It’s not unusual for leaders to recruit with resilient traits in mind, perhaps assuming that you either have a resilient nature or not. However, resilience shouldn’t be approached in an analogue fashion – something you absolutely do or don’t have – as it can be strengthened (or indeed damaged) over time. And it’s the responsibility of leaders to recognise this and actively look to nurture a resilient culture in which employees are adaptable, can respond to challenges proactively and persevere through change. Recognition has a crucial role to play here.
Embedding resilient behaviours
HR leaders will be familiar with using employee recognition to appreciate and reward employees when they are high performing or go ‘above and beyond’, but less common is using the power of recognition to embed resilient behaviours into organisational culture.
So how can recognition be used in this way?
Firstly, leaders must be clear on which employee behaviours help to create a resilient culture. O.C. Tanner’s research highlights that adaptability, proactivity and perseverance are the main attributes that create resilience. So being able to adapt to both expected and unexpected changes; having a proactive approach in the face of challenges; and being willing to persevere when times get tough, are all desirable employee behaviours.
The organisation then needs to actively promote and encourage these behaviours, with leaders demonstrating them, and both managers and peers recognising and rewarding them when they’re exhibited by their colleagues. For instance, if the company changes its organisational structure and an employee proactively suggests new processes to streamline the change, they must be recognised and rewarded. When a member of the IT team is faced with a software challenge that they persevere with and eventually overcome, they must be called out and appreciated. Similarly, if following an acquisition, a manager goes out of their way to ensure the acquired business’ employees feel welcome, this decision to embrace change must be recognised.
HOW recognition is given is key
How recognition is given can mean the difference between hitting the right note with employees and getting it completely wrong, leading to poor results.
To start with, the power of recognition should already be understood throughout the company, with the giving and receiving of recognition an everyday occurrence.
Secondly, recognition must always be given with meaning, purpose and authenticity rather than in passing or as an afterthought. This requires putting time aside to recognise the individual whose behaviours are being praised, and where possible, the recognition should take place in front of managers and peers.
When praising an individual, it’s crucial to make it clear WHY they are being appreciated (with thoughtful details) and WHICH particular behaviour is being recognised. And so if the employee has demonstrated perseverance in the face of repeated setbacks, this must be clearly communicated so that colleagues understand that this behaviour is considered desirable. Knowing this will likely lead to employees choosing to emulate it.
Reward should work alongside recognition so that employees are provided with a tangible gift when appropriate. The reward doesn’t have to be of great value and could include some branded items or a meal voucher, for instance. Plus, symbolic awards should be considered for further elevating the significance of the recognition moment.
It must be remembered, however, that every single employee must be given the opportunity to be recognised with no barriers preventing them. For deskless workers, this might mean being creative with how and when they are recognised, especially if they don’t have PCs and work email addresses. Recognition in team meetings, on noticeboards and in handwritten notes may be useful here, while ensuring that time and effort is put into the more special recognition moments, perhaps involving a presentation and team lunch.
Building a culture that withstands change
Recognition has a crucial role to play in building a culture of resilience, with organisations that recognise employees for important core behaviours often seeing these practices quickly becoming an integral part of the workplace culture. The outcome is a workforce who embraces change, perseveres through challenges and who isn’t afraid to take calculated risks, and when the organisation is confronted with change, the response is determination, agility and innovation.
Stuart Cheesman
Stuart Cheeman has over 25 years' global HR consulting experience helping to develop, strategise and embed employee transformation experiences. Stuart helps organisations to drive cultural change whilst improving societal, environmental, and business outcomes. Encompassing all aspects of employee culture, Stuart's background and thought leadership has ensured employees and businesses can thrive together.
