To be at the center of a global crisis is to be part of an uncertain future. The change that is seen following a crisis is often a result of a collective will to evolve. Situations that seem life-altering while the experience is occurring often turn out to be mere blips in the evolution of society. Think of the Black Plague in the Middle Ages or the 1918 flu epidemic that ravaged the world. The Covid pandemic has been an accelerant of many of the trends that businesses have been experiencing in the past years such as:
- The evolution of retail and growth in logistics and education
- Working from home and the capacity to be a digital nomad
- The development of online communications platforms
- A recognition that there is a direct link between business and the environment
The topic of mental well-being has been addressed over the past few years and has gained a greater degree of acceptance after the pandemic. Companies and families have taken a great leap forward in recognizing the importance of wellbeing, both physically and mentally. A valid question that needs to be considered is how we maintain visibility of the health of colleagues when they are away from the office workplace.
In the drive to survive, all of us will need to reinforce our resilience. Resilience is a term that is often used to mean ‘bouncing back from a terrible event’ or ‘having strength to cope’, or ‘being determined to see things through to the end’. All these meanings imply people being mentally strong, sufficiently strong to maintain a sense of wellbeing while facing challenges. Personal resilience is ‘the capacity to coordinate actions that enable individuals, groups and communities (including controlled communities such as a workforce) to prevent, tolerate, overcome and be enhanced by adverse events and experiences. (Derek Mowbray 2010)
As you and your colleagues think about the changes to your workload or routines, also include activities or ‘think-tanks’ that will help others to strengthen their resilience and resourcefulness.