Organizational resiliency is vital as your company grows. After all, every business has to navigate occasional challenges, but having the ability to thrive in the face of uncertainty ensures you can get through tough times without hindering your operations.
The problems your company encounters could come in many forms. Some businesses face lawsuits that threaten the organization’s long-term health, while economic downturns, natural disasters, internal conflicts, and poor business deals can also create issues. Organizational resiliency is fighting through these issues and flourishing despite them.
Your organization’s leaders are essential in making your company more resilient, as the base they create influences how employees respond to adversity. Here are some ways your leaders can make the company more resilient in preparation for future challenges.
Enable Communication
Communication is essential as you foster a more resilient work environment for your employees. Your workers should know what is happening to the organization and why you’re making specific decisions to better understand the problems you’re experiencing. Keeping the lines of communication open builds trust and can keep employees loyal through the most challenging times.
In addition, enabling communication teaches employees to share personal challenges with their managers to create a more dynamic work environment. Organizations that don’t encourage this form of communication typically end up with employees who hide problems from leadership and avoid trying new things that could lead to innovation because they’re scared of making a mistake.
Resilient companies encourage their workers to ask questions and let them know that some mistakes are necessary as part of the learning process. The result is a company that can innovate and change in the moment, helping leaders pivot during a crisis and having employees follow.
Executive coaching services can teach your leaders how to open the lines of communication and build a team that stays resilient when facing adversity. The continuity this step creates can guide your company through its most challenging issues.
Create a Positive Organizational Culture
The culture your leaders create has a significant influence on organizational resiliency. Companies that feel chaotic and disjointed could respond less favorably to a crisis because no one is on the same page, and employees don’t feel like valued members of the team.
Happy employees are more likely to stay with you through tough times because they have an investment in the company’s success. Simple things like providing healthy snacks, promoting hybrid or flexible work options, managing employee workloads, and giving extra time off can help you keep workers engaged and ensure they want to stick around through the organization’s struggles.
Leadership skills training helps your managers and supervisors create a solid organizational culture for your workforce, and executive training shows you how to set this culture from the very top. Even seemingly small cultural shifts can make the company more resilient because your talent will want to stay with you and be part of the solution.
Give Up Control
Leaders at every level can give up some control to create a more dynamic and resilient work environment. For example, the organization’s CEO might delegate some decision-making power to the company’s executives and managers.
When a company is facing a crisis and time is of the essence, it will need to move quickly. Giving other leaders the ability to make certain decisions can speed the company’s progress and make it more agile, leading to better outcomes.
In addition, executives and managers permitted to make decisions often feel more attached to the organization. Since continuity can lead to resiliency, you want to keep as many of your executives and managers around for as long as possible, and giving them added responsibility can help.
Managers might even trust senior-level employees to make certain decisions. Once again, this step makes the organization more dynamic, speeds up organizational processes, and makes these employees feel like valued team members.
Build Strong Relationships
The relationships you build today will go a long way toward developing a more resilient company in the future. You’ll need a strong personal relationship with every member of your leadership team, and you should also encourage these executives to create strong relationships with your managers and supervisors.
From there, you should urge your managers to get to know every employee working under them to strengthen the entire chain of relationships within the company. These connections create a more adaptable work environment and enable everyone to react quickly to problems that arise in the workplace.
If you’re looking for help in opening up communication, changing the workplace culture, or building stronger relationships, the Leadership Development Institute (LDI) is here to help. Our executive coaching and leadership training services will give your leaders the skills they need to create a more resilient workplace, ensuring your organization is robust enough to outlast any crisis you encounter. Contact LDI to learn more.