Let’s start off on the right foot
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
The skinny
Only 19% of the US workforce is resilient which is bad news for workplace engagement and productivity.
♦
Is resilience trending?
You could say that. With all the disruption in 2020, building a resilient workforce seems to be on everyone’s mind. FYI: resilience is the capacity of an individual to withstand, bounce back from and work through challenging circumstances or events at work.
Were you born yesterday?
I know, 2020 was not a walk in the park and the first few weeks of 2021 were not the best for productivity. Good news is, some resilience is already baked into who we are and there’s a way to cultivate it further. It’s something that can be built (or torn down) by individuals, their teams, their leaders and their organization as a whole.
Feeling hopeful?
Turn that “?” into a “!” This is great news for HR because it means that as stewards of the company culture, you can integrate some practices into work processes that increase the chances of employees bouncing back from disruption.
K, like what?
Well, let’s start with the characteristics of highly resilient employees. They feel a strong sense of agency, they are able to compartmentalize at work and they are able to do work that makes them feel strong. Cultivating practices and processes that embrace and cultivate these characteristics can help create and foster resilience.
Still drawing a blank.
Think of it as fostering a “grown up” working environment. For example, to help support compartmentalization focus on outcomes not hours. Translation: stop the micromanaging! If your employees are feeling like ants under a microscope, they’re not going to take much ownership or pride in their work.
Got it, what else?
It’s all about the name on the front, not the back. Focusing on teamwork and encouraging employees to work on what they actually like can help boost team moral, trust and enjoyment at work. Employees who feel a connection to their leaders and love what they do are almost 4x more likely to be highly resilient.
Almost at the top of the stairs.
Great job Rocky. But before you celebrate, there’s one more thing. Don’t pussyfoot around difficult topics. This study found that sugarcoating reality is not helpful and does not build or help maintain resilience. People prefer facts, even if they’re not fun facts. Your employees’ well-beings will be preserved, not diminished when they can see the reality of the situation and respond to it.
Date with data: In a global study, only 10% of employees were both highly resilient and engaged at work.
Fun Fact: Team members who trust their team leader are 14x more likely to be fully engaged.
Further reading: Creating a culture of resilience: What really enables organizations to survive and thrive?
The skinny
Paid leave expired in December for illness and caregiving during the pandemic, but that may be changing soon.
♦
Need more deets.
If Congress approves a plan proposed by now-President Biden, more Americans may soon be able to take more than three months of paid leave from work for sickness or to care for children and family members.
What else can it be used for?
Here’s the list: those sick with COVID, quarantining because of COVID exposure, time off to get the vaccine, caring for family members who are sick with COVID, caring for children whose school or day care is closed due to the pandemic and caring for older relatives or adult dependents whose long-term care facility is closed because of the pandemic.
Ok, so who exactly would qualify?
Basically, the whole kitten caboodle. Nearly every American worker, both part-time and full-time, or nearly 106 million more workers than last year’s paid leave plan, which excluded those at companies with more than 500 employees or fewer than 50.
Can I ask…
Will this actually help? Paid sick leave has helped slow the spread of infections a study of states showed and paid caregiving leave could help people stay employed. With women losing 156,000 jobs and men gaining 16,000, extended paid leave could help even the playing field again.
Will this empty the wallet?
Not really. Employers with fewer than 500 workers would be reimbursed for the full amount of the leave, in the form of a payroll tax credit.
What about large companies?
Large companies would be required to give paid leave and pay for it themselves. But under the Biden plan, this new leave would expire at the end of September.
Totes quotes: “This policy is a big part of what workers need during these tough months, and it will serve as a strong foundation to finally establish permanent policies on paid sick days on paid family and medical leave.” -Senator Patty Murray,
The skinny
One’s uncertainty tolerance can be a major factor in anxiety levels, especially when it comes to the future.
♦
Am-big-u-ous…
Indeed. Uncertainty can lead to worry for many. When things are unknown, it’s easier to stress about all the scaries you can’t see.
But why?
Good question. Why do we worry about the future rather than welcoming it? Well, because we have the ability to worry about the future, we do. In other animals, unpredictability or uncertainty can lead to heightened vigilance. But with humans, we have the ability to reflect on that uncertainty which leads us to those dark spirals.
Know those spirals well.
FOMO. But there are some who are more immune to the spiral than others. And, those that have a high tolerance for uncertainty might have higher feelings of optimism and hope.
Yipeee.
Don’t worry, there’s some good news for those that do get stressed/anxious about uncertainty. You can practice a few tips and start embracing that fuzzy future just like that quarantine stuffie.
What tips?
As hard as it might be, try to imagine the best outcome possible. When faced with uncertainty, our minds can become an episode of Fear Factor with all the absolute worst-case scenarios (I’m thinking full bug-tank submersion here.) And this can be a “fake it till you make it” type of tip.
Ok, faking now.
Practice imaging four positive things that could happen in your day. Before you poo-paw, it actually works. In a study, participants who practiced positive things happening showed an increase in happiness while groups who imagined negative or routine future events did not.
Don’t think you know my spiral…
Sure. If you keep drifting into worst-case scenario mode, let yourself imagine the best-case scenario too. It can help you create positive emotions to carry you through whatever is ahead.
If you need some hope: This poem could help.
Further reading: Science backed things to make you happier.
 Now a break from the news… |
 Compliance Corner |
Here’s something to…
- Check: Top 50 best places to work
- Read: How to spot depression and anxiety in a remote workplace
- Compare: Which artists share your birthday?
- Clap: Sephora to fight against racial bias with an action plan
- Love: Feeling gushy? Here’s some COVID love stories.
- Watch: Are you done with Bridgerton yet?
Social Corner
Benefits Pulse at a glance
The weekly flux continues. The numbers of furloughed employees increased this week.
|
|
