d the hiring surge in 2022, to the underground redundancies in 2024.  That’s just the working environment. What about life? The exorbitant cost of living, geopolitical unrest, economic instability and more. To gently place the final straw on your back, despite all the gadgets to connect, we are increasingly disconnected. Life is hard.  So, it seems to me, we shouldn’t be at all surprised to be dealing with fragility in the workforce. And if our employees are fragile, our organisations are, too. The question is to what degree, and can you ‘catch’ it in time?  Here is what leaders can do: Face the facts: fragility exists, even in your workplace Fragility isn’t a fleeting ailment nor media spin. It is legitimate and no organisation is immune to it. It isn’t something your employees will address with you either. They, too, whilst not feeling ‘strong’ might be unsuspecting of their own fragile state. Ignoring the signs will be at your organisation’s peril. Fragility might manifest with high staff turnover and increased absenteeism. Your most robust employees could be more emotional, with heightened sensitivity and stronger reactions to criticism or feedback. There may be reduced levels of creativity, deadlines missed, apathy, and even quiet quitting – putting in the bare minimum to keep their job.  Understand everyone is at risk Even your best performers, the ones you rely on time and time again. In fact, they have already been labelled. Those exceptional workers are ‘fragile thriving’. Fragile thrivers are often highly career-driven, highly focused and push past barriers…often at the expense of their own personal health.     Fragility is increasing in frequency, but not because it’s contagious. Thanks to the skills crisis, if one of your employees resigns or is absent, it is no longer easy to backfill. Inevitably, a colleague picks up the slack. Research shows 72per cent of staff are dealing with an increased workload due to staff shortages. We all have our limits. Fragility isn’t going anywhere and won’t be fixed with token band-aid responses.   Provide profound benefits Forget the bean bag and bringing your cat to work. The workforce needs profound benefits, ones that support physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. Provide benefits of substance, such as education, seminars and access to tools to build life skills that support strong mental health and coping practices.  Invest in policies with a direct link to wellbeing, such as career breaks, sabbaticals, and career transitions, as well as subsidised gym, meditation, counselling, awareness programs, and health insurance. Just as companies invest in R&D for long-term growth, investing in purposeful benefits programs ensures a healthier, more resilient workforce.  Structure Our current working environment, with its looser connections, fluidity, increased flow of information, and rapid pace of technology, has lost some of its structure. Even a 10 per cent decrease in support mechanisms is enough to cause instability. Look at bridges and buildings – a 10 per cent reduction in their foundations is a catastrophe just waiting to happen.  Consider stronger communication channels, including frequency and consistency, defined roles and responsibilities, clear reporting lines, easier decision-making protocol and doing your ‘checks’. Just as we routinely inspect buildings and bridges for cracks, leaders must regularly check in with their employees.  Culture of antifragility It always comes back to the culture. Antifragile organisations have a culture that enables people to learn quickly from their environment and adapt to it. Make the ‘unknown’ feel safe. Have frequent conversations and opportunities for open, transparent dialogue. As a leader, be seen and heard but, equally, watch and listen.  Create opportunities to connect and collaborate. Innovation, creativity, motivation and engagement will increase, as will wellbeing. Research shows that a lack of human connection can be more harmful than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.  The fragility we see in the workforce didn’t emerge overnight; it’s the result of cumulative pressures that have gone unnoticed for too long. But unlike fragile objects that shatter and become less valuable, human beings have the remarkable ability to grow stronger through adversity if given the right support and environment. We can emerge not just repaired but transformed, ready to face future challenges with strength. Further reading: ‘Do the little things well’: Leadership tips from Budgy Smuggler’s GM.