Imagine being stranded in the desert and thinking that if you just had water, all would be okay. After a few days, you realize that shade, food, and sunscreen would all be helpful too. The more resources you have, the more successful you can be.
Imagine having all the resources listed below except money. Now compare and contrast that with someone who was out on the streets at the age of 14, homeless and alone. Which of the resources below would that individual have versus the person just missing the financial resource?
That is how stability is. It isn’t all about money. It is also about these additional resources:
- Emotional
- Mental/cognitive
- Language and formal register
- Social capital and support systems
- Physical resources
- Spiritual resources
- Integrity and trust
- Motivation and persistence
- Relationships and role models
- Knowledge of hidden rules
- Financial
The more resources each of us has, the more we can contribute—personally and professionally. If you have employees who have lived in daily economic instability for years, they have not had the chance to grow some of their resources. But, with opportunities, they can. The beautiful thing about resources is that each of us can grow our resources.
Where can you come in as an employer?
You can help your employees grow resources with internal training programs, mentor programs, benefits, policy shifts, mentor programs, and more. Many times, we will pay for graduate credits, so why not pay for a GED or ESL program? Food pantries on the weeks opposite payroll, gasoline cards until the first paycheck, etc., will all create more stability for an employee, which will allow them to contribute at a higher level. Most times, it translates to higher productivity and retention. Who isn’t in for that?
To learn more about resources and the environments of economic class and how they impact the success of your business and your employees, join the Workplace Stability workshop offered on October 28. Register and learn more today.
