Beth Benatti Kennedy
The VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environment in which we live and work requires career resilience. Career resilience is the ability to adapt to changing career circumstances, even when the circumstances are discouraging or disruptive. When you possess career resilience, an unexpected obstacle does not derail you; you take responsibility for your career and personal growth while maintaining commitment to your organization’s success.
For organizations, the benefits of a resilient workforce include employees who are adaptable, teams that are more productive due to increased self-awareness and flexibility, and improved retention. On the flip side, I often hear clients and friends talk about the challenges of being in a burnout culture. A burnout culture, characterized by relentless work demands and the glorification of overworking, can lead to severe physical and mental health issues. Employees experiencing burnout face chronic stress, fatigue, and a sense of helplessness. This not only affects their well-being but also their productivity and job satisfaction.
Burnout can also be contagious. When individuals in a workplace experience burnout, their negative emotions and behaviors can spread to colleagues through a phenomenon known as emotional contagion or second-hand stress. This can create a toxic work environment where cynicism, disengagement, and low morale become pervasive. A study by the McKinsey Health Institute (2024) found that employees exposed to high levels of toxic behavior were eight times more likely to experience burnout symptoms.
“In an ever-changing business environment, resilience is not just a desirable trait but a necessary business competency.”
To achieve a resilient workforce, organizations must implement a formal resilience training program to foster a culture where individuals can thrive, not just survive. Resilience can be learned. While we often assume resilience is common sense, many individuals lack a clear understanding of what it truly means to be resilient. Resilience is not putting our heads down and powering through; it’s having the skills to handle change and recover and recharge ourselves so we have the energy needed for productive, engaging careers and lives. Implementing a formal resilience training program not only equips employees with a toolbox of resilience strategies but also promotes a supportive and adaptive work environment, ultimately driving long-term success for the organization. To effectively build and sustain resilience within your workforce, a structured approach is essential. This is where my Benatti Resiliency Model® comes into play.
The Model was developed several years ago as a result of coaching employees in a company that had been acquired. I observed differences between those with career resilience and those who were thrown off by the transition. The individuals with career resilience were able to navigate much more effectively through the process. They drove their careers, chose not to let the acquisition ‘ruin’ their lives, and found opportunities even in a challenging situation. They continued to contribute their skills and experiences to the organization, even though many did not know if they would still have jobs in the new company. I identified five strategies these resilient people had in common as part of their career toolbox.
As I passed on these strategies to clients over the years, I saw how developing resilience enables professionals to have the careers and lives they want and avoid burnout. I turned these strategies into my Benatti Resiliency Model, now one of the cornerstones of my leadership coaching practice and the training classes I offer.
“For a resilience training program to be successful, it is essential that the CEO and senior leadership team believe in resilience and walk the talk.”
The Benatti Resiliency Model
The Benatti Resiliency Model is a comprehensive framework designed to enhance resilience in individuals and organizations. The model focuses on five key strategies: well-being, self-awareness, brand, connection and innovation.
Well-being: Prioritize physical and mental health to ensure employees are in the best state to face challenges. This includes promoting healthy work-life synergy, providing access to wellness programs, and encouraging regular physical activity and mindfulness practices.
Self-awareness: Encourage individuals to understand their strengths, opportunity areas, and emotional responses to better navigate workplace dynamics. Tools such as personality assessments, regular feedback sessions, and personal reflection exercises can enhance self-awareness. Taking time to think about one’s purpose can also be extremely motivating.
Fire: Help employees develop a strong personal and professional brand that reflects their values and goals. This involves coaching on professional development, creating opportunities for skill enhancement, and fostering an environment where personal values align with organizational goals.
Connection: Build strong relationships within the organization to foster a sense of community and support. Regular team-building activities, lunch-and-learn programs, and open communication channels are crucial. Encouraging a culture of empathy and collaboration strengthens these connections.
Innovation: Promote creativity and adaptability to encourage employees to find new solutions to problems and embrace change. Providing platforms for idea sharing, recognizing and rewarding innovation, and creating an environment where risk-taking is supported can drive innovation.
“Career resilience is the ability to adapt to changing career circumstances, even when the circumstances are discouraging or disruptive.”
Implementing a Resilience Training Program
I have had the opportunity to see the success of teaching and applying the Benatti Resiliency Model in various organizations, but every organization has a unique culture that needs to be considered before implementing a resilience training program. There are five steps to take: assessment, customization, training, support systems, and evaluation.
Assessment: Begin with a thorough assessment of the current state of resilience within the organization. This can include surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gather data on employee well-being, self-awareness, personal branding, connection, and innovation.
Customization: Tailor the resilience training program to meet the specific needs identified in the assessment. Develop customized training modules, workshops, and activities that address the unique challenges and opportunities within your organization. For example, when I worked with a biotech company, they did a pulse survey. A key theme that emerged was that individuals felt a sense of overwhelm daily and felt that although they had benefits, such as access to health clubs and meditation apps, they were struggling with the urgency-addicted culture. We made sure to address these issues in our Career ReCharge training program. It also became a topic that the CEO mentioned in a town hall meeting so employees could see it was not just another flavor-of-the-month training.
Training and development: Implement the formal resilience training program. This can include a mix of workshops, online courses, coaching sessions, and experiential learning activities. Ensure the training is continuous and evolving to meet changing organizational needs.
Support systems: Establish support systems to sustain resilience practices. This can include creating peer support groups, providing access to mental health resources, and setting up regular check-ins to monitor progress. A unique feature of the resilience training programs I design and facilitate is that they have a built-in support system for those employees who want to take advantage of it. We call them Career ReCharge Teams, and they are triads that meet once a month, either in person or by video, to track their resilience goals and share resources. I have had teams continue to meet even after they reach the post-training six-month mark.
Evaluation and adjustment: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the resilience training program. Use feedback from employees and performance metrics to make necessary adjustments and improvements. Continually refine the program to ensure it remains relevant and impactful.
In addition, for a resilience training program to be successful, it is essential that the CEO and senior leadership team believe in resilience and walk the talk. A CEO that I coach makes sure he shares his resilience wins and challenges with his leadership team. He also supports the resilience initiative by having once-a-month lunches with employees who have taken the resilience training to explore what is working with the organization and how he and the leadership team can best support having a resilience culture.
The Benefits
Engagement: Resilient employees are more engaged and committed to their work. They feel valued and supported, leading to higher job satisfaction and retention rates and decreased burnout.
Increased productivity: Employees who are equipped with resilience skills can better manage stress and maintain focus, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.
Improved team dynamics: Resilience training fosters better communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills. This leads to stronger team dynamics and a more positive work environment.
Greater organizational agility: A resilient workforce can quickly adapt to changes and challenges, making the organization more agile and better equipped to navigate the complexities of the business landscape.
Positive impact on mental health: By prioritizing well-being and providing support systems, resilience training can have a positive impact on employees’ mental health, reducing the risk of burnout and promoting a healthier workplace.
In an ever-changing business environment, resilience is not just a desirable trait but a necessary business competency. Implementing a formal resilience training program, with the framework of the Benatti Resiliency Model, can transform your organization. It equips employees with the skills needed to thrive amidst challenges, fosters a supportive and adaptive culture, and ultimately drives long-term success. By investing in resilience training, organizations can build a workforce that is not only capable of handling adversity but also empowered to innovate, collaborate, and excel. Embrace the power of resilience and watch your organization flourish.
Biography
Beth Benatti Kennedy has more than twenty-five years of experience as a leadership and team coach, resiliency-training expert, and speaker. She is also the best-selling author of Career ReCharge: Five Strategies to Boost Resilience and Beat Burnout.
