Characteristics of a Resilient Organization

In 2020, many organizations had to redesign operations, rethink the goods and services they provide, and refresh their brand’s messaging as COVID-19 packed a decade’s worth of disruption into just a few short months. 

Successful organizations had one thing in common — proactive systems and processes that increased their resilience, allowing them to not just survive, but also prosper. Let’s explore the key characteristics of a resilient organization.  

Key Benefits

• Higher job satisfaction: Resilient organizations can offer employees more stability and resources, increasing employee retention rates.  
• Increased capacity: Companies that invest in processes, systems, and training increase their capacity to produce quality products and services, leading to new, innovative breakthroughs.  
• More effective management: Leaders who share common goals and strategies can help unify management and give your team clear expectations and goals. 
• More engaged culture: Companies that understand the importance of teamwork, creative problem-solving, and rewarding wins find their employees are more engaged.

Key Organizational Elements

Resiliency is a result of people, products, and processes. An organization cannot be truly resilient or sustainable if it lacks the resources and dedication necessary to invest in each of these areas. 

Employee behavior: Your people are the driving force behind your products, services, customer relationships, and strategic and innovative developments. To successfully navigate unexpected organizational changes, ensure your team has the physical, mental, and emotional capacity to adapt. Consider how you can support your team to create more flexibility and develop problem-solving skills.  

Product excellence: Ensuring product excellence is critical during uncertain times because it can determine whether your consumers will continue purchasing from you. Listen to your consumers’ needs, innovate with them in mind, and continually evaluate feedback to ensure your organization adapts to incremental changes. 

Process reliability: Processes must be adaptable yet reliable. Listen to team feedback to identify areas of improvement then develop a plan to implement these changes. By continuously investing in process development, your organization may be better positioned to navigate unexpected changes when they occur.  

Key Characteristics

Strong leadership: Throughout the pandemic, I observed many leaders navigate quick decisions to lead through uncertainty, even when they did not have all the information. We can never be 100% informed about any decision, but we must be willing to step outside our comfort zones to move forward. 

Unified human resources: Human resources teams must collaborate with other thought leaders at every level of the organization. Companies that embrace this holistic approach develop stronger communications and promote a culture that embodies the same values and goals. This alignment can help increase workplace morale and encourage teamwork — essential when challenges arise.  

Risk mitigation: History shows us that when the economy stumbles, innovative companies use this as an opportunity to create and deliver breakthrough innovation. Analyzing data about your organization, workforce, products, and processes can help you identify pain points and challenges. This can help you determine which risks are worth taking without halting all the new programs, processes, or innovative developments that may lead to future growth. 

Adaptive thinking: For many businesses, the pandemic lowered customer spending and increased supply chain costs. To weather this storm, resilient organizations focused on connecting with their consumers on an emotional level to identify their needs and then adapted their services, products, and messaging. Successful organizations encouraged this type of adaptive thinking in their employees before the pandemic by rewarding creative solutions. Cultivating this skill set in your workforce can help you adjust quickly to changes in the market. 

A culture of well-being: Resilient organizations proactively fight against change fatigue, which can present itself through a wide range of mental and physical issues, including anxiety and burnout. Consider what programs, incentives, or positive reinforcement you can provide to improve your team’s well-being. This may also involve analyzing what practices are detrimental to your culture. Contacting employees outside normal office hours, for example, can negatively impact your organization’s workforce. 

Professional development: Successful leaders develop talent through selective skill-based hiring and continuous training. Investing in employees by providing opportunities to hone their skills and learn new things can increase product and service quality. It can also promote creative thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability. 

Strong partnerships and alliances: Embrace open innovation by forming strategic partnerships and alliances with inventors, entrepreneurs, suppliers, vendors, academic institutions, and other organizations — including competitors. Collaborating with others can reduce costs, lower risk levels, provide more resources, and increase your speed to market. Start by assessing the internal competencies required to deliver on your business objectives. This can help you identify your company’s internal strengths and weaknesses. Consider which partners may provide you with the resources you lack to fill these gaps. 

3 Ways to Drive Transformational Change 

Crisis prompts us to think differently. We may not know when the next challenge will arise, but we can better prepare ourselves by doing the following. 

1. Assess your core capabilities. Successful organizations are prepared for change because they understand their strengths and resources. This knowledge can help you be proactive and adaptable when faced with a crisis.  

2. Use your resources responsibly. Resilient organizations understand the importance of funding innovative endeavors and strategic business plans. Instead of restricting resources during a crisis, consider the best use of your resources to promote long-term growth and stability. 

3. Encourage teamwork. Consider who the key players are on your team and how you can create a work environment that encourages them to collaborate.