RESILIENCE TRAINING PROGRAMMES WITHIN ORGANISATIONS

Abstract

Many forms of stress and adversity exist in our workplaces and in our world and peoples’ and organisations’ ability to cope with change and handle difficult situations and stress is being challenged. Therefore it is becoming increasingly important for individuals and companies to adapt to change, stress and adversity constructively. Resilience training is a method which can develop individuals’ positive strengths and improve individuals’ ability to handle stress and cope, as well as improve individuals’ and organisations’ ability to deal with change. Only a few resilience training programmes have been implemented in South Africa, therefore it is interesting to understand why a resilience training programme may be needed within organisations and how it should be structured and supported in order to realise its intended benefits. Interviews were conducted at the case site, South African Breweries Limited (SAB). It was discovered that the resilience training programme was primarily implemented to build individual and organisational capability to deal with change and to help employees handle stress. An organisational design methodology called appreciative inquiry (AI) was used as part of the resilience training initiative to develop employees’ strengths. Support, especially leadership and culture, is essential for a resilience training programme to be effective and sustainable. The study should be useful to other companies wishing to implement resilience training programmes, as well as to the case site as the company continues to roll out resilience training throughout the company.