Resilience at Work® Individual Scale
What is the R@W Individual Scale and Model?
The R@W Sustain 7 is a simple yet powerful model that creates a common language within workplaces around resilience. Our experience is that it resonates across a wide range of industries and occupations.
It is based on the Resilience at Work® (R@W) Scale which was published in the Journal of Environmental Medicine in 2011. The R@W Scale is a scientifically researched measure of individual workplace resilience that measures the seven components that interrelate and contribute to overall resilience as shown below.
S1 Living Authentically
Knowing and holding onto your personal values, deploying your strengths, and having a good level of emotional awareness and regulation.
S2 Finding Your Calling
Having work that offers purpose and a sense of belonging. Aligning work with your core values and beliefs.
S3 Maintaining Perspective
Staying optimistic and keeping a solution-focus when things go wrong. Reframing setbacks and minimising the impact of any negativity around you.
S4 Mastering Stress
Having work and life routines that help you manage your everyday stressors. Working to create work-life balance and ensuring time for relaxation and recovery.
S5 Interacting Cooperatively
Seeking feedback, advice and support and also providing support readily to others.
S6 Staying Healthy
Maintaining a good level of physical fitness, having a healthy diet and getting adequate sleep.
S7 Building Networks
Developing and maintaining the personal and professional support networks you need at home and at work in order to perform well in your job.
The Research Behind the R@W Scale
The research behind the development of the R@W Scale was informed by over 25 years in coaching and consulting work. At one end of the spectrum this involved analysing the practices that resilient individuals employ. At the other end it was examining what was missing when individuals were struggling with their job or work environment. This extensive practitioner experience was combined with the peer-reviewed literature on resilience to research and develop the R@W Scale using best practice methodology and statistical analysis.
Since its publication the scale has been used extensively in international academic research into workplace resilience.
R@W Scale In Practice
The R@W Scale is a powerful development tool for coaches, psychologists, organisation development practitioners, trainers and counsellors. It is valuable for:
• Building resilience in individuals and teams via coaching, workshops or professional development programs
• Coaching and counselling when personal resilience has been challenged
• Organisational interventions for sustainable performance and resilience
• Research into employee performance and wellbeing.
The scale has been used in corporate, government and non-for-profit environments. A sample of occupational groups includes managers, team leaders, executives, volunteers, lawyers, accountants, religious leaders, engineers, forensic scientists, child-care workers, firefighters, scientists, doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, students, child protection workers, disability carers, park rangers, university academics and staff, teachers, administrative officers, council workers, teaching support staff, business managers, finance staff, project officers, school principals, IT professionals, community service workers, management consultants and human resource professionals.
R@W Scale Benefits
The R@W Scale:
• Is validated and specifically designed for the workplace
• Considers resilience to be a dynamic state that can be developed – rather than a fixed trait
• Relates to everyday work behaviours that can be changed rather than personality factors
• Takes into account the impact of the organisational context in which people are working
• Considers management of current work challenges
• Provides a comprehensive feedback report that is easily translated into practical actions
• Places emphasis on building strengths in addition to better managing the stress and specific issues people are facing
• Provides benchmarking on the seven components of personal work resilience
• Takes a holistic approach and considers all aspects of resilience – physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual (purpose and values)
• Is quick and easy to administer, taking only 5-10 minutes to compete on-line.