As universities fight to survive financial uncertainties, mergers and restructuring are the everyday life of many staff. These processes take time, – I’ve been there – and what is needed is to be sustainably resilient. It’s not a short-term sprint you’re in — it’s often the marathon.

Sustainable resilience is underpinned by many things, but especially by the values that keep you going and help you navigate your way — despite the obstacles. strong values are powerful sources of resilience, individually or collectively, when it feels like your employer is not there for you or is struggling themselves. 

Values can act as drivers and can be very practical — ‘I value paying my bills and not getting into debt. I need to do that’ — or emotional — ‘I value working in small teams — I really enjoy it’.

Having strong values at work can:

• motivate you
• help you find energy to keep going
• help you find the courage to persist
• and help you reconnect with that all elusive willpower.

Let’s say you value ‘collaboration’: you might make the most of any workplace networks, unions or communities as you re-apply for your role or fill in applications. 

Strong values can also mean you remain flexible, without losing your way in the long game of working life. For example, if one of your values is ‘wellbeing’, you might say, ‘I’ll go for that part-time role even though it’s more travel, as that particular role may give me the chance of more wellbeing’.

So in these turbulent times, as you negotiate your way forward with a restructuring or merger at your university, become aware of what matters to you — your deep values — and use them to help you be sustainably resilient.

Photo by Deepak Gupta on Unsplash