The Four Factors of Workplace Resilience

An interconnected world places high expectations on individuals. Working effectively to meet these expectations requires resilience, among other attributes. Thus, resilience has entered into the realm of organizational and engineering management. However, there are considerable differences among the several definitions and research streams concerning resilience. This paper uses case studies and empirical data to inform the study of workplace resilience. Much of the resilience research to date has focused on patients and individuals under the care of clinical professionals for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adolescent mental health, and coping skills. Recently, interest in studying resilience in the workplace has necessitated the need for models and instruments validated with the general workforce population. One instrument-the Workplace Resilience Instrument (WRI)-has been developed and validated with several segments of the U.S. workforce. The WRI produced four factors: Active Problem-Solving, Team Efficacy, Confident Sense-Making, and Bricolage. These four factors provide insight to the effective functioning of individuals within engineering management organizations and have implications for organizational performance. The meaning and implications of these four resilience factors are shared using case studies, examples, and findings from the research to date.