Article · 3 minute read
16th April 2021
With continuing uncertainty, transformation and change, it is no surprise that ‘Resilience’ and ‘Agility’ are two of the hottest buzzwords in the market. The impact of the pandemic has not only amplified the attention around resilience and agility but transitioned the narrative too.
Previously, people discussed resilience and agility as behavioral components to help people survive change or times of adversity, almost like a coping mechanism just to help them through. However, with the pace of change and transformation showing no sign of slowing down, the optics have shifted to a more positive spotlight. Rather than just a means of survival, people are now discussing how resilience and agility can actually improve their performance and help them thrive in the workplace.
We looked previously at why Building Resilient Agility should be a key people priority and introduced our behavioral model, used for measuring and building capacity for resilience and agility here.
A recent survey by Saville Assessment illustrated that 97% of people say it is ‘extremely’ or ‘very important’ to support people managers and their teams to be effective in times of change and transformation. However, only 37% feel they are getting the right amount of support to do this.
With more organizations recognizing that building resilience and agility in their people will not only benefit their workplace wellbeing but also drive superior performance, it’s time to embed it as part of the talent cycle.
Hybrid working, flatter structures and agile environments are all impacting the way people collaborate together. For teams to remain effective and productive there needs to be an awareness level of how this could influence them achieving goals so they not only avoid derailments, but perform better.
Group workshops that can be delivered virtually to create collective awareness of the combined capacity for being agile and resilient. Create tangible actions to not only be mindful of areas that could inhibit group performance but leverage strengths to elevate team effectiveness, productivity and project outcomes.
To develop an individual’s true capability, including resilience and agility as part of their self-development is key. This can help with wellbeing, confidence, recognizing potential inhibitors and strengths, and how to leverage them for better performance.
Include resilience and agility as part of manager-led coaching, self-directed coaching and development conversations. Encourage individuals to reflect on their behavioral preferences that link resilience and agility in the workplace, and create personal action plans in line with their role and responsibilities to aid their performance and wellbeing.
With the level of change and transformation facing organizations, it’s almost essential to understand how well-equipped new hires are to be effective in this environment. As a top priority and focus for improving performance, it is an essential component for accelerating the productivity of new employees and making them feel part of an efficient, flexible and continually improving environment.
Include a Building Resilient Agility report as part of the onboarding process. Help new hires feel supported in their new career by being aware of how their own resilience and agility could positively impact their new progression, where they may need to work with their line manager for extra support and how they can facilitate an improved employee experience.
A McKinsey study found that 83% of all transformation projects fail. This is often because the priority of senior teams is on the logistics of change, and not the people. The Covid-19 pandemic and digital transformation have been major catalysts for change and transformation affecting all organizations. How people respond to change, and how they can positively impact it, is critical to its success. Key to successful navigation is facilitating, guiding and supporting people.
Use a measure of resilient agility to show leaders the caliber of the workforce for dealing with change. This will help leaders understand the starting point to help their people better move forward. Understanding the workforce dynamics will illustrate where extra support may be needed and can help shape internal communications to ensure they are most effective. Increasing the transparency and purpose with a clear lens on their people can help leaders drive better engagement and elevate the employee experience.
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