Fostering a resilient workforce has become a critical challenge for organizations as employees strive to navigate rapid technological advancements, shifting priorities, and increased stress levels in their evolving workplaces.

“There is significant change  happening in technology, the speed of information, and the tools and processes that people use,” Bryan Holgerson, president of Cigna Healthcare, said during a panel discussion at the Workhuman Live 2025 event held recently in Denver, Colorado. Without cognitive agility – the ability to adapt and manage thought processes and behaviors – the ever-changing environment can cause significant stress, affecting employees personally and professionally, he said.

In a discussion moderated by Kiesha B. Free, a professional speaker and advocate for transforming workplace cultures and improving well-being, the panelists noted that building resilience goes beyond encouraging employees to persevere through difficulties. It also requires a holistic approach that integrates well-being into the organizational culture, provides robust support systems, and equips leaders with the skills to inspire and guide their teams. The goal is to create an environment where employees can thrive, adapt to change, and maintain high levels of performance.

Jen Fisher, the founder and CEO of The Wellbeing Team, emphasized that cognitive agility also enables employees to adapt to changing business priorities. “Oftentimes teams look back at all the work they did that no longer seems to matter, which can breed resentment,” she said. To avoid that, she recommends that teams determine what they can learn from previous efforts and apply those lessons to their new priorities.

Wagner Denuzzo, a leadership expert and the founder and CEO of Wagner Denuzzo Consulting, advised employees to be “engaged but detached” in their work. “Be fully engaged in what you’re doing, put your energy into it, but don’t get emotionally attached to what you’re doing because you lose the capacity to pivot,” he said.

Holgerson added that business leaders should help employees understand their “why” and how their work supports the company’s mission. This helps them stay motivated and adaptable when priorities shift. “It’s easy to be flexible when you truly believe in what you are doing,” he said.

The panelists recommend the following three key ways employers can support cognitive agility and well-being in their workforce.

Focus on well-being as a core competency

Fisher underscored the importance of treating well-being as a core competency within organizations, which goes beyond offering benefits and supportive programs to individual workers. She emphasized that the goal of workforce wellness should be integrated into the organizational culture and aligned with business behaviors and values. She also warned that rewarding employees for taking on overwhelming workloads goes against any stated importance of workforce well-being, since that tends to result in overwork and burnout.

Create a supportive work environment

Holgerson emphasized that fostering an environment where employees feel supported and appreciated can greatly enhance their productivity and well-being. “Employees dedicate a substantial portion of their lives to their jobs,” he said. “Therefore, when employers and managers positively impact their employees, it benefits not only their professional lives but their personal lives as well.”

Pictured left to right: Wagner Denuzzo, Jen Fisher, Bryan Holgerson, Kiesha B. Free

Denuzzo defined a supportive environment as a nonjudgmental one where employees feel safe to express their emotions and challenges. “What we need to do is develop the conditions so they can access the support they need and feel less ashamed in accessing them,” he said. For example, providing access to mental health resources and encouraging their use without stigma helps employees manage their well-being proactively, reducing the risk of burnout and enhancing their job performance.

Train leaders about human skills and hope

The panelists agreed they see a critical need to train leaders about human behavior and interactions. “Managers don’t need to be trained on business policies and processes, they need to be trained on how to connect with people,” Denuzzo said. That can include teaching managers to work together to develop practical ways to address critical moments such as an employee’s first day, handling failures on the job, and supporting employees through personal crises.

He added that managers also need to learn how to establish emotional boundaries that protect their own well-being while showing compassion for others. This approach allows managers to support their teams effectively without becoming overwhelmed, he said.

Fisher agreed. “Well-being is not taught in business schools, MBA programs, or corporate training,” she said. “But being able to lead and design work in a way that the outcome is better well-being for the human workforce is a skill set managers need to learn.”

Denuzzo also recommended that managers learn how to treat every employee as a leader of their own work, even if they do not manage others. By acknowledging the leadership potential in every individual, managers can boost employees’ self-confidence and foster a positive work environment, ultimately enhancing their engagement, performance, and overall well-being, he said.

Managers also need to be trained on how to create hope for their teams, Fisher said, referencing a recent Gallup study indicating that hope is the No. 1 attribute employees seek from their leaders. If leaders can foster hope, they can guide their people through shifting priorities and new challenges to successfully implement necessary changes, she said.

Cigna Healthcare shares the need for comprehensive manager training that includes all of those skills with its employer clients and partners, Holgerson said. “This practice is directly linked to enhancing workforce well-being, as it helps foster employees’ resilience and their ability to effectively navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving work environment.”

Quotes were lightly edited for clarity.