Improve customer service by developing emotional resilience in your workshop

The less stressed you are, the more time and energy you will naturally put into delivering outstanding customer service.

To tackle stress, an increasing number of small businesses are implementing workplace practices that build emotional resilience. Building resilience into your workshop business will therefore benefit your team, your customers and your bottom line.

Our emotional and physical resilience – sometimes put more simply as ‘inner strength’ – makes us more able to cope with challenging situations both at work and in our personal lives. When times are hard – such as when the economy is in recession, when job security is uncertain, when financial stresses are upon us and when family crises affect us – we experience reduced levels of emotional wellbeing. Coping strategies that help manage our personal stress levels can enhance and improve our emotional resilience.

Sleep and sustenance

You can’t underestimate how important a good night’s sleep is in making us more resilient; without it physical health suffers, and you need your strength in the workshop environment. A lack of sleep can also cause poor decision-making, which is bad news in a business where customers’ safety depends on the quality of your work. A lack of good quality sleep also decreases your resilience level because it weakens emotional wellbeing and personal confidence.

What you eat is closely aligned with health and performance too – those who want to perform well must also eat well. People who take in good nutrition have a 28% better stress management score, according to a Footprint Forum report. Diet, exercise and sleep are inextricably linked with stress levels, and overwhelming stress can have serious consequences on an individual's ability to cope.

Good management

A workshop manager can play a vital role in helping to prevent ill-health in the team, either physical or emotional, by looking out for early signs of distress or changes in behaviour or performance. This can help the business as well as the team members themselves. A really good workshop manager can prevent loss of working hours through absenteeism and ill-health, as well as the loss of talented garage installers who may otherwise leave the business.

Studies show that employees who work for companies that demonstrate care and concern for employee health and wellbeing are four times more likely to stay with that employer.

Be in-the-know

A workshop manager can play a vital role in helping to prevent ill-health in the team, either physical or emotional, by looking out for early signs of distress or changes in behaviour or performance. This can help the business as well as the team members themselves. A really good workshop manager can prevent loss of working hours through absenteeism and ill-health, as well as the loss of talented garage installers who may otherwise leave the business.

It doesn’t have to mean going on an expensive skills course. Thankfully, any stigma surrounding mental health is rapidly evaporating, and with modern initiatives such as World Mental Health Day the help and advice is out there to read and digest (such as the blog you are reading right now). A recent study by Mind suggests that stressed workers can be suffering in silence and that employers should do more to reduce stress. Considering stress remains the number one cause of absence from work, and mental health conditions (including stress anxiety and depression) are the single most widespread cause of long-term absence among both manual and non-manual workers, mental health in the workplace is now a critical priority for employers. Make sure you have the skills to support your team’s mental health needs.

Mindfulness

Don’t underestimate the effect of mindfulness – it could help make you and your team more resilient and regulate stress.

Research in contemplative neuroscience suggests that mindfulness - the practice of focusing your attention on the present moment - makes us more resilient, regulates our stress response, increases emotional intelligence and strengthens our ability to focus.

You can achieve mindfulness by meditating for just a few minutes every day. Meditation apps like Insight Timer or Headspace will tell you what to do.

If meditation isn't for you, maybe just allow yourself some time in your day to allow your mind to roam without constant interruption by emails and social media. Perhaps go for a lunch-time walk to get a bit of fresh air, and if you do, maybe consider going without your phone!

By paying attention to the emotional state of yourself and your colleagues you can maintain a healthy workshop where everyone is best placed to consistently deliver excellent customer service.

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