Develop
Organisational development
Professionalisation and Development in Organisational Resilience
How Organisations Can Support Their Colleagues
Organisations play a crucial role in supporting their colleagues’ development in Organisational Resilience by providing opportunities for training, certification, mentorship, and career progression.
Here are some ways organisations can help their employees to build and enhance their resilience skills to support their learning and development but also to aid organisational resilience:
1. Training and Certification Support
Formal Training Programmes
Offer access to relevant courses (e.g., Business Continuity, Crisis Management, Risk Management) that lead to recognised certifications such as BCI, ISO 22301, and Crisis Management qualifications.
In-house Resilience Workshops
Organise internal workshops on resilience-related topics such as risk management, incident response, cyber resilience, and emergency management.
2. Mentorship and Coaching
Mentoring Programs
Pair employees with experienced leaders in resilience roles to gain guidance and career advice. Mentors can help mentees with navigating career progression, improving resilience capabilities, and identifying learning opportunities.
Peer Learning
Encourage cross-functional knowledge sharing, where colleagues can learn from each other’s experiences with disaster recovery or crisis management scenarios.
3. Access to Resources and Tools
Learning Platforms & E-learning
Provide subscriptions to e-learning platforms (e.g., LinkedIn Learning, BCI, or Resilience Shift) where employees can access resources related to organisational resilience.
Resilience Frameworks and Tools
Offer access to guidelines, templates, and toolkits such as the UK Government Resilience Framework or ISO 31000, enabling employees to implement resilience strategies in their own roles.
4. Career Development and Progression
Clear Career Pathways
Create career pathways within the resilience function, helping employees understand how to move from entry-level roles to senior positions, such as Business Continuity Manager or Head of Resilience.
Secondment Opportunities
Provide employees with secondments to other departments or organisations to develop skills in crisis response, risk management, or business continuity.
Leadership Development
Support leadership development programs for those looking to take on resilience leadership roles, such as Crisis Manager or Resilience Director.
5. Encouraging Practical Experience
Involvement in Real-World Exercises
Provide opportunities for employees to participate in disaster recovery exercises or business continuity simulations to develop their hands-on skills in crisis management.
Project Involvement
Assign employees to resilience-related projects that involve designing, testing, or refining business continuity plans or responding to potential disruptions, giving them practical, experience-based learning opportunities.
6. Supporting Continued Learning and Innovation
Research and Innovation Opportunities
Encourage employees to stay up-to-date with the latest resilience trends, including emerging threats, technological advancements, and resilience innovations by providing access to conferences, webinars, or research papers.
Continuous Improvement
Foster a culture of learning by ensuring that post-incident reviews and lessons learned are shared across teams to improve future resilience efforts.
7. Recognition and Incentives
Acknowledgement of Achievement
Celebrate achievements in resilience development, such as obtaining certifications or successfully managing a crisis, through internal awards or recognition programs.
Career Growth Opportunities
Provide performance-based promotions for employees who demonstrate a deep understanding and application of resilience principles in their roles.
By supporting colleagues in developing their resilience skills, organisations not only enhance their overall resilience capabilities but also invest in their workforce’s growth. This approach helps employees gain the necessary knowledge, experience, and certifications to take on leadership roles and actively contribute to building a resilient organisation.