So what exactly is reslience?

We are hearing more and more about the word resilience - on the news, in the press and even in the Chancellor's speeches. What exactly does it mean? How do we get it? How can it help businesses or individuals in times of crisis?

Resilience is actually the power of recovery. When it comes to people there are lots of ways we can build inner strength. One increasingly important way is through training - more specifically first aid training.  

Some of the major news stories of the past few months have shown how individuals can help their communities through vital first aid skills.

In New Orleans first aiders were able to treat victims of the disaster for a variety of symptoms from shock to cuts. In the London bombings in July, prompt action by first aiders helped victims in the time before they could be dealt with by the emergency services. First aiders were also able to help those suffering from shock. Horrific, though these incidents were, they both show that individuals can make a difference to their community through their skills.

The British Red Cross recently carried out a survey amongst delegates who had attended our first aid for the workplace course. The survey showed that 94% of respondents felt that they could play a wider role in their community through having first aid skills. This statistic shows that first aid is more than helping others in their time of need - be that an accident at work or a major world incident. First aiders perform a vital role in the resilience of communities or businesses and their ability to recover quickly from incidents.

Resilience can mean different things in different fields but can be broadly defined as regaining normality following a disturbance. This can be done through "the ability of a system, business or community to resist degradation or interruption in its service to the customer as a consequence of failures of one or more of its parts". If individuals are unable to carry out their work, then the smooth running of the business is inevitably interrupted; if members of the community are injured or in shock then the effectiveness of the community is reduced.

Prompt first aid can both help to reduce the severity of injuries and therefore the time away from the business/community, as well as the strain on the business/community through loss of earning potential coupled with a drain on resources. In addition those with life saving skills experience greater confidence in themselves as a result of their knowledge and skill, leading to greater confidence both in themselves and in their ability to help. This greater confidence can then be harnessed to allow them to play a greater role supporting both their business and the community.

Quick recovery and the power to withstand difficulties or incidents, which come up are key to successful businesses and communities. First aid can form a vital part of the recovery plan and resilience.

The British Red Cross are a leading provider of first aid training for the workplace. Ensure that your staff have the skills to help run your business smoothly and recover from any instances by training them through one of our first aid courses. We offer a wide range of courses from first aid for the workplace to basic first aid for the appointed person.

For a full copy of the survey please contact Lydia Mottershead on 0844 871 8000

For further information contact Lydia Mottershead on 0844 871 8000

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