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How To Build A Resilient OrganizationFor A Post-Pandemic World

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Forward-thinking business leaders who took certainactions prior to 2020 were more likely to survive the chaos of thepast year and position their organizations to thrive going forward. They builtorganizations that had visionary strategies, were good to their stakeholdersand successfully leveraged technology for competitive advantages.

During the pandemic, leaders who preparedfor disruption gained confidence in their organization’s ability to withstandadversity when they saw long-term investments paying off.

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Even so, according to the 2021Deloitte Global Resilience Report, two-thirds of CXOs still don’t feelcompletely ready to lead through potential disruptions and 70% lack confidencein their organizations’ ability to pivot and adapt to unsettling events likethose they recently experienced. This is concerning since the Deloitte surveyalso found that CXOs see more disruptions on the horizon: Three-quartersbelieve the looming climate crisis is of similar or greater magnitude to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

“The past year has been a wake-up call,”says Michele Parmelee, Deloitte Global deputy CEO and chief people and purposeofficer. “Now that we’ve seen what can happen and how quickly it can unfold,there’s a better understanding of how something like a virus or a major climateevent can dramatically affect economies. These issues and their potentialimpact aren’t theoretical anymore.”

Investing In The Future

Improving organizational resilience toprepare for future disruptions begins with an honest appraisal of whether yourorganization is prepared,adaptable, collaborative, trustworthy and responsible, says Parmelee.

“Leaders have to ask themselves if they’reinvesting in the short term or long term, if they’re training people fortoday’s work or tomorrow’s work, if their structures promote or inhibitcooperation and if they’re committed to serving all stakeholders or justshareholders,” she adds.

During the pandemic, leaders who preparedfor disruption gained confidence in their organization’s ability to withstandadversity when they saw long-term investments paying off. “As a leader, youhope the money spent on infrastructure, training and other areas where there’snot an immediate reward is being spent wisely,” Parmelee says. “So, when thoseinvestments bear fruit—which, in the case of 2020 meant enabling businesses toweather unprecedented challenges—it’s confirmation that you’re up to thechallenge.”

Strategic Actions That Build Resilience

Companies that took steps to prepare forfuture disasters prior to 2020 were more likely to say they are weathering thepandemic better than their peers or competitors, according to the Deloittereport. Going forward, Parmelee says other organizations can follow theexamples set by the most resilient organizations and take strategic actionslike those below to build their organization’s resilience:

Create comprehensive crisis response and scenario playbooks that map out potential internal and external risks. Just as sports teams design playbooks for each game, resilient organizations should prepare playbooks that anticipate potential events.
Conduct regular crisis and scenario simulations with key decision makers across functions and departments. Scenario planning helps leaders plan for disruption and anticipate what organizations will need not only to survive but also to thrive in the future.
Hire for mindsets, like adaptability, instead of specific skill sets. This may require rethinking traditional job descriptions, which could also increase diversity.
Develop training or rotational programs to allow workers to learn new skills. This could boost organizations’ abilities to redeploy workers depending on business needs and employee interests.
Eliminate internal silos and invest in technologies that promote collaboration. According to the Deloitte report, collaboration improved resilience by helping organizations make decisions, communicate more effectively and foster trust among workers.
Develop environmental-sustainability initiatives inside your organization. They can benefit the planet, appeal to socially conscious talent and potentially lead to new business opportunities.
Build physical, emotional and digital trust with your stakeholders. CXOs who lead with empathy and communicate regularly and transparently with stakeholders strengthen trust.
Prioritize mental health, wellness, diversity, inclusion and equality. There is a strong correlation between having an agile organization and having an inclusive culture and diverse workforce.

Parmelee suggests it’s also important forCXOs to seek relationships with like-minded organizations to tackle societalissues. “The scope of potential threats accentuates the urgent need for leadersto embrace all stakeholders and put the advancement of society at the heart oftheir business strategies,” she says. “Change and disruption will be a way oflife going forward, so leaders who implement the building blocks of resiliencenow will be best positioned to thrive going forward.”