Australian workers’ resilience to be tested again by economic downturn

The pandemic tested Aussie workers’ resilience – but experts say the worst is still to come. Find out how to keep new pressures caused by the economic downturn in check.

Resilience levels increased during the pandemic, but not enough to protect Aussie workers from the effects of further disruption.

Exclusive research by Springfox reveals the collective resilience ratio of workers now sits at more than 1.76, after plummeting to 1.66 during the early months of the pandemic – the lowest level on record since 2018.

But Springfox chief executive officer Stuart Taylor says the figure is still well below an optimal resilience ratio of 2.5.

“As Australians, we see ourselves as a very relaxed population when, actually, we’re not,’’ Taylor says.

“We are much too engaged in the work we are doing – to the point it is hurting our resilience.’’

Resilience levels remain low after plummeting during Covid. Pictured: Lucia Zelesco, director of boutique digital marketing agency Zelesco Consulting.

Boosting resilience

Increased living costs, inflation, supply chain issues and the prospect of an economic downturn are all pressure points for workers, who will struggle without adequate coping mechanisms.

But the Springfox research shows it is possible to increase resilience, with sleep a key contributing factor.

Of the most resilient workers, 86 per cent have mastered sleep quality, compared to just seven per cent of the lowest performing employees, the research shows.

Other factors to boost resilience include having a sense of personal and professional fulfilment, being able to recover quickly after adversity, having time for relaxation and being present and focusing on what matters.

“Some would say resilience is something you are born with but it’s very clear in the research that’s not the case,’’ Taylor says.

“Just as we can train elite athletes, so can we improve the physical, emotional and mental resources that deliver performance at work without compromising wellbeing.

“Because if you are not building resilience, you are losing it.’’

Testing times

While the pandemic tested the resilience of many workers, the worst is still to come, Keogh Consulting chief executive officer Margit Mansfield warns.

“I’m more concerned about resilience levels now than I was during the pandemic because it (stress) does have a cumulative effect,’’ she says.

“We are hitting another wave (of challenging times) with supply chain issues, cost of living and inflation – things are not going to get better so I do feel that we are in for a tricky time.’’

Mansfield warns resilience is not a constant state of being and says it is important for workers to continually seek out ways to improve their wellbeing.

“Once you have built your resilience, there’s a next level which is about being this thriving and flourishing human being but you can’t achieve that unless you are constantly building your resilience levels as much as you can,’’ she says.

Lucia Zelesco turns to exercise, meditation and mindfulness to stay resilient.

Three keys to staying the course

Exercise, meditation and mindfulness are important inclusions in Lucia Zelesco’s resilience war chest.

At the start of the pandemic, the director of boutique digital marketing agency Zelesco Consulting prioritised building resilience for herself and her employees, which she says helped them remain focused during Melbourne’s lockdowns.

“No matter what, I would wake up and do some sort of exercise – running, weights or something else – just to get the blood pumping through my body,” Zelesco says.

“I would also do some meditation and practise gratitude by saying what I was grateful for.”

When time was short, Zelesco would substitute a gym session for a quick walk around the block or a shorter meditation program.

She says the routine helped her manage a significantly heavier workload during the pandemic and improved her time management skills.

Other employees who took up exercising and meditation also noticed the benefits, she says.

“I still felt a bit stressed but it really reduced the severity of how hard things could have been and it was a great preventive measure,” she says.

Having returned to the office, Zelesco and her staff have continued to improve their resilience in preparation for whatever may occur in the future.

“If there’s a recession or something big that happens again, we will know what to do to get through it,” she says.

“Having that positive mindset means you are a lot more adaptive and can just get through the day better.

“It’s like a secret weapon.”

Originally published as Australian workers’ resilience to be tested again by economic downturn