We live in uncertain times. This uncertainty is impacting your employees, increasing their stress levels and thereby impacting your business. Staff need to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As an HR Leader you can help your staff to cope with the uncertainty and build their resilience to get through these unprecedented times. You will also learn: - How to build resiliency in your staff and thereby your organization - How to help your staff cope - How to cheer up the virtual workplace - How to reduce stress and limit mental illness caused by stress - Learn what strategies your peers are using April 7, 2020 ONLINE Seminar. Presenter: Julie Holden, Principal – Holden & Associates Consulting Inc. https://siliconhalton.com/event/5-things-hr-leaders-could-do-to-support-employee-resiliency-during-covid-19/

1. Senior Human Resources
peer2peer
5 Things HR Leaders Could do
to Support Employee
Resiliency During COVID-19
April 7, 2020 | 12 noon | Online

2. Facilitators
Rick Stomphorst | rick@searchvelocity.ca
President, SearchVelocity.ca
Co-founder, Silicon Halton and Sr. HR Roundtable
Bob Nagar | bnagar@rogers.com
Personal and Leadership Development & Coaching

3. 5 Things HR Leaders Could do to Support Employee Resiliency During COVID-19

4. Presenter
Julie Holden, Principal – Holden & Associates Consulting Inc.
julie@holdenassociatesconsulting.com
• 25 years+ delivering health and productivity solutions to her
clients in a wide variety of industries.
• Principal at one of Canada’s largest consulting firms, Willis
Towers Watson, where she led its health and productivity
practice in Ontario and was also the Practice Leader of the
Absence and Disability practice at both Buck Consultants and
Morneau Shepell.
• Assistant Vice President at Manulife Financial.
• Has worked with many organizations of all sizes on workplace
mental health initiatives.
• She is certified by the Canadian Mental Health Association as a
Psychological Health & Safety Advisor to workplaces and is a
registered Practitioner with the Human Resource Professionals
Association of Canada.

5. Supporting Employee Resiliency
5 Actions for HR Leaders
April 7, 2020
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6. AGENDA
• What is resilience?
• What employees may be feeling
• Four traits of resilient people
• 5 actions for HR leaders
• A few more thoughts…
• Helpful tools, apps and resources
• Open forum
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7. Resilience: The capacity to recover
quickly from difficulties – to bounce
back
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8. What employees may be feeling
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Fear Anxiety
Depression
Loss
•Certainty and security
•Belonging
•Control
•Competence and expertise
•Routine
•Work relationships, colleagues
and friends
•Power and influence

9. A closer look at resilency
Resilent people tend to exhibit four specific traits:
1. Confidence
 Feelings of competence and effectiveness in coping with stressful situations
2. Purpose
 A clear sense of purpose and clear values; drive and direction with established and realistic goals
3. Social Support
 Build good relationships with others and seek support; nurture themselves
4. Adaptability
 Flexibility with changing situations which are beyond their control; cope well with change;
optimism
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10. 5 Actions for HR Leaders
1. Share predictable updates. Even if there’s nothing new to share keep the
meeting. Communicate clearly and as much as possible (pay special attention
to tone)
2. Keep and create rituals and routines.
3. Prepare your people leaders. Work with managers to make sure they feel
ready to provide emotional support through normalizing, validating, asking
questions, emotional sharing and knowing when to offer additional resources.
4. Create a well-being task force. Invite employees to band together and
crowdsource resources they can disseminate across the organization. Provide
input and ideas for the list.
5. Share your feelings. Have a check-in time and acknowledge shared feelings. Be
an ambassador for mental health – all emotions are valid and accepted!
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11. A few more thoughts…
• Check in just to say hi and ask about individual needs
• Call out people’s contributions
• Normalize loss of productivity
• Re-set a small number of priorities
• Focus on results vs hours worked
• Create short milestones to celebrate small wins
• Create places for employees to interact for a few minutes: games, chats, a place to share photos
• Encourage cameras for on-line meetings but don’t mandate them
• Be welcoming to kids, spouses, housemates and pets
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12. Tools, Apps & Resources
Province of Ontario’s mental health resources in response to COVID-19:
• ConnexOntario: Adults and frontline workers who are dealing with the realities of COVID-19 can call
ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 for mental health, addictions and problem gambling support.
• BounceBack: A free, evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program that provides guided
mental health self-help supports for adults and youth 15+ using workbooks, online videos and phone
coaching. Call 1-866-345-0224.
• Kids Help Phone: Children and youth 18 and under who need to talk to someone about their mental
health can call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868, for 24/7 virtual, phone and text support.
• Good2Talk: A phone and texting service that provides confidential support to post-secondary students.
Call 1-866-925-5454.
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13. Tools, Apps & Resources
• Employee & Family Assistance Program and other health benefits (if offered by your company).
• Check up from the Neck up: Created by Mood Disorders Association of Ontario. An amazing
assessment tool to check your mental health. Free
• Breathe2Relax: Smartphone app with instructions and exercises in ‘diaphragmatic breathing,’ a well-
researched stress management skill. Free.
• Happify: A brain-training app based on research showing that some types of activity can help you
combat negativity, anxiety, and stress while fostering gratitude and empathy. Subscription.
• Calm: Provides simple instruction in meditation and mindfulness. They offer programs focused on
different topics, including reducing anxiety, improving sleep, increasing relaxation, and much more. A
free trial is available with additional sessions available by subscription.
• Headspace: “A gym membership for the mind." It provides a series of guided meditation sessions and
mindfulness training. A free trial is available.
• Pay It Forward: Encourages a daily act of kindness - a proven stress reducer - with a list of suggestions
as well as connection to a community of people who are committed to the principles of paying it
forward.
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14. Open Forum
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julie@holdenassociatesconsulting.com

15. Thank you!
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