The Cost of Low Resilience on the Workforce

by | Jan 15, 2025 | Blog, Education, eQuoo, Mental Wellbeing, PsycApps, Student Resources

The Cost of Low Resilience on the Workforce

Unveiling the Hidden Impact of Low Resilience

In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, resilience has become a cornerstone of both personal and professional success. Yet, the cost of low resilience in the workforce is often underestimated. From increased absenteeism to reduced productivity, the ripple effects are significant. Let’s explore why low resilience is such a pressing issue and how organisations can address it.

Why Resilience Matters in the Workplace

Resilience, defined as “the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant stress,” is essential in today’s workplace. The modern professional landscape is full of challenges: rapid technological advancements, economic uncertainties, and the lingering effects of a global pandemic have only heightened the pressures faced by employees.

When resilience is low, these pressures manifest in several damaging ways:

Burnout: According to the World Health Organization, burnout affects up to 30% of employees globally, leading to reduced productivity and higher turnover rates.

Mental Health Issues: Research highlights that individuals with low resilience are more prone to anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders.

Absenteeism and Presenteeism: Reports reveal that poor mental health, including a lack of resilience, costs UK employers up to £45 billion annually.

The Real Costs of Low Resilience

Reduced Employee Productivity

Low resilience affects employees’ ability to cope with workplace stress, leading to a decline in problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills. This, in turn, hampers overall productivity. According to a study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, resilient individuals are 50% less likely to experience workplace burnout, which significantly impacts output.

Higher Turnover Rates

A lack of resilience often contributes to disengagement and dissatisfaction at work. Disengaged employees are 87% more likely to leave their jobs within a year, according to Gallup research. The cost of employee turnover includes recruitment expenses, training investments, and the loss of institutional knowledge, factors that can drain resources and disrupt team cohesion. Deloitte calculated that losing and replacing an employee such as a call centre worker costs a company on average around 25 – 30k. 

Increased Healthcare Costs

Chronic stress, that stems from low resilience, is a leading cause of physical and mental health problems. Studies show that organisations with a stressed workforce face higher healthcare costs, including costs for mental health treatment, employee absences and reduced productivity as a result of presenteeism.

How We Can Help

At PsycApps, we are passionate about equipping individuals and organisations with the tools needed to thrive. Our CPD-certified Resilience Training Programme is designed by psychologists and grounded in scientific research. This comprehensive training goes beyond the basics of stress management, providing tailored strategies to help employees develop emotional regulation, adaptability, and mental agility.

Through our engaging and interactive approach, participants learn how to strengthen their mental wellbeing, prevent burnout, and develop the skills to enhance a growth mindset. Our training is not just about reacting to challenges but proactively building the skills to navigate future adversity with confidence and composure. Whether you’re looking to support individual team members or implement a wider organisational resilience strategy, we are here to guide you every step of the way.

The Business Case for Resilience

Investing in resilience isn’t just the right thing to do for employees, it’s also a sound business strategy. A Deloitte study found that organisations focusing on employee well-being experience a 2.5x return on investment through improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and higher morale.

Moreover, stress and mental health issues, which account for a $1 trillion annual loss in global productivity (according to the World Health Organization), can be mitigated through resilience-building initiatives. By prioritising resilience, organisations can create a workplace culture that focuses on long-term success.

Conclusion

The cost of low resilience in the workforce is far-reaching, but the solutions are within reach. By prioritising mental health and investing in professional training programmes like PsycApps’ CPD-certified Resilience Training Programme, organisations can build stronger, healthier, and more productive teams.

Resilience is not just about surviving challenges, it’s about thriving through them. Isn’t it time your organisation invested in resilience?

Explore our CPD-Certified Resilience Training Programme to start your journey today.

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