Raise your hand if you’re feeling exhausted from change inside your company.
While you might be the only person lifting your hand at your desk right now, the truth is: You’re not alone! 73% of HR leaders [1] report that their employees are experiencing change fatigue.
The workforce has seen so much transition in the past few years alone. While revamping org charts and investing in skill building [2] are essential to company success, many businesses are missing an important piece of the puzzle: building change resilience in the workplace.
As we close out our series on 9 Learning & Development Trends for 2026 [3], I’ll share how talent development professionals can amplify employee well-being with a focus on resilience.
[3]What Change Resilience Really Means at Work
Change resilience is often misunderstood as being about endurance. It involves more than just surviving a transition, especially because transformation is all around us.
The New Normal of Constant Disruption
Accenture found that the rate of change between 2019 and 2023 increased 183%, and 44% between 2023 and 2024 [4] alone! There’s little data to suggest the pace will slow down.
With technological advancements, market volatility and dynamic workforce demographics, employees aren’t just adapting to one thing. They’re adjusting continuously.
True resilience means maintaining motivation, energy and well-being by building up three core capacities: emotional stability, cognitive agility and behavioral adaptability.
Working with organizations, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging this type of skill building can be. Even individuals who are change-loving (or, in Emergenetics terms, are third-third Flexible) can find the volume difficult to manage.
The Human Cost of Rapid Transformation
In a sea of change, employees who lack adequate support are likely to experience fatigue and burnout. Stress costs companies millions of dollars [5] as staff run into productivity challenges, like decision paralysis or misalignment between teams.
Chronic burnout can also cause health issues and lead to quiet quitting [6] or employee disengagement, which has a costly impact on company performance. [7] Finding ways to help employees thrive through transition requires a commitment to building resilience as an organizational capacity.
Organizational Agility Starts with Human Agility
While I will describe what L&D practitioners can do to boost resilience in the workplace, I want to acknowledge that it is a collective effort. No single department can bear sole responsibility. Similarly, it’s not up to individuals alone to look after their well-being. Leaders and managers play an important role, and teammates impact their colleagues’ welfare.
For the purposes of this post, however, let’s focus on how talent development teams can make a measurable difference.
6 Practical Strategies to Build Change Resilience at Scale
#1 – Promote cognitive agility. [9]
In times of transformation, people often need to adopt new ways of thinking, behaving and performing. When they’re comfortable embracing different perspectives, it will amplify agility.
Tools like Emergenetics [10] are invaluable in this process. By helping employees understand how their preferences shape their approaches to problem-solving and change management, workers gain an appreciation for their distinct styles and recognize the value of flexing into multiple approaches when needed.
#2 – Build emotional intelligence.
Having empathy and the people skills to positively interact with others makes a significant impact on workplace resilience. When staff members feel heard and supported by their leaders, managers and colleagues, they are more likely to remain steadfast in the face of transformation.
There are several great EQ tools available to help personnel, and I often recommend starting with self- and social-awareness. Workshops like the Meeting of the Minds [11] that introduce individuals to the different ways people get energized and prefer to show up are a powerful starting point.
#3 – Strengthen peer connections.
Use team building sessions to cultivate a strong sense of community. Preventing isolation and promoting shared ownership in the transformation process together will help workers successfully navigate change.
Mentorship programs are another effective option to enhance connections in times of transition. With additional support and peer learning, employees can gain perspective on organizational shifts.
#4 – Amplifying mental health tools.
Emotional regulation and stability is essential to workplace well-being. Share stress management strategies through just-in-time tools and collaborative learning experiences.
Also, spend time training executives and supervisors on the tools and services that are available to their teammates in times of need. These individuals do not need to be mental health experts – they just need to be equipped to share resources.
#5 – Invest in communication and conflict resolution.
When work moves fast, teams can quickly become disconnected and misaligned, leading to conflicts that undermine well-being and organizational agility.
Use training, such as our Emergenetics workshops [12], to teach employees to recognize and adapt to different communication styles. That way, staff can realign and move forward productively when misunderstandings occur.
#6 – Celebrate learning, not just outcomes.
The act of learning itself is an investment in resilience. Be sure that employees feel seen and supported through the learning process with celebrations and acknowledgements, so they are encouraged to adapt even when they have not yet achieved their desired outcomes.
Creating a culture where it’s safe to experiment, fail and learn amplifies tenacity at both individual and organizational levels.
Change Isn’t Slowing Down — And Burnout Doesn’t Have to Be the Cost
Most leaders have recognized that organizational agility is a non-negotiable in today’s environment. However, not every employer realizes that agile companies come from agile personnel. By investing in your employees’ capacity for resilience, you will lay the foundation for sustained workplace transformation.
How can Emergenetics help you cultivate steadfast, agile teams? Connect with our team to learn more by filling out the form below!
FAQs
#1 – What is change resilience in the workplace?
Change resilience is the collective ability of employees and organizations to adapt and grow through ongoing disruption without burning out. It goes beyond endurance and involves maintaining motivation, energy and well-being throughout continuous transformation.
#2 – How does change impact employee well-being?
Ongoing transformation often creates stress, fatigue and anxiety when employees lack intentional support systems. That can lead to decreased productivity, disengagement and mental and physical health issues if left unaddressed.
#3 – What’s the difference between resilience and endurance?
Endurance is about pushing through difficulty, sometimes at the cost of well-being. Resilience involves building the tools, support systems and practices that allow people to adapt sustainably, so the workforce remains effective and engaged.
#4 – How can leaders help employees adapt to constant change?
Leaders can support adaptation through clear, consistent communication, demonstrating emotional intelligence and providing access to learning resources and support. Understanding employees’ distinct Thinking and Behavioral preferences (as measured by Emergenetics) also helps executives and managers tailor their approach to different team members’ needs.
#5 – Can resilience be trained?
Absolutely. Resilience grows through the intentional development of self-awareness, cognitive and emotional skills, social connection and wellness practices. Tools like the Emergenetics Profile accelerate this development by giving people specific insights into their own preferences and how to support those who think and behave differently.
#6 – How can Emergenetics boost change resilience and change management?
Emergenetics strengthens change resilience by building the essential components of organizational agility: cognitive awareness, communication effectiveness and team cohesion. The Emergenetics Profile reveals how employees prefer to think and behave, which can shine a light on how they may naturally process and respond to change. When teams understand each other’s Profiles, they can anticipate what their colleagues may need during transitions.
Our workshops, including the Meeting of the Minds [11] and Team Dynamics for Small Groups [13], provide practical frameworks to apply these insights in the workplace. Organizations that invest in Emergenetics create a common language to problem-solve and interact, which directly supports employee well-being and successful change management initiatives.