Strategies for improving your organization’s resiliency (2025)

At its core, resiliency measures the ability of an organization to recover from setbacks or disruptions and return to normal—or even improved—operations. Resilience is a proactive framework that enables growth and adaptability in the face of adversity. By working across different functions of the business, executives can implement strategies to improve resiliency and keep their organizations viable and growth-oriented for the future ahead.

UNDERSTANDING RESILIENCY: TIME TO RECOVER VERSUS TIME TO SURVIVE

At its simplest, resiliency can be framed in terms of two key metrics: time to recover and time to survive. Time to recover measures how quickly an organization is able to bounce back after a disruption, while time to survive is the period the organization can endure before hitting a critical failure point, either financially or brand-wise.

Effective resiliency means that your time to recover is shorter than your time to survive. Take, for example, the now infamous toilet paper shortages during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. With scarcity panic, consumer demand shot up as people tried to increase the runway of their time to recover. Shelves emptied as retailers failed to replenish supply in line with the spike in demand. This created a period of scarcity that disrupted both consumer satisfaction and supply chain dynamics.

In another instance, consider a luxury car dealership. If a shipment of luxury cars sinks mid-transit, the dealership must manage not only the loss of goods but also the expectations of customers who have already paid. How quickly the dealership can recover and provide alternative solutions will determine its resilience.

A final example is a company’s dependence on a small, unique component that is made by a small mom-and-pop shop overseas. If that small business closes due to bankruptcy and no one else makes that component, the company’s operations are disrupted. Reliance on niche manufacturing that can’t easily be replaced affects an organization’s ability to remain resilient.

BUILDING RESILIENCE IN RETAIL: A CASE FOR PREPAREDNESS

Retail operations face unique resiliency challenges due to their dependence on long and complex supply chains. Whether it’s a shipment of bananas that overripe prematurely or a fire at a manufacturing plant, retailers must continuously anticipate potential disruptive scenarios and mitigate the resulting effects. If the specific products lost happen to be loss leaders designed to bring people into the store, the impact is even greater, resulting in physical cart abandonment. To combat this, retail executives must put in place contingency plans that incorporate strategic forward buy, higher amalgamable safety stock, robust supplier relationships, and effective loss prevention protocols.

Loss prevention professionals offer unique expertise in fostering resiliency. Their focus on anticipating and mitigating risks makes them invaluable across supply chain, merchandising, customer satisfaction, and store operations.

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By training and equipping staff with real-time intelligence, anticipation of delayed shipments or reduced product quality becomes much more predictable. Loss prevention teams are able to build a culture of readiness like they are already doing with other training. They aren’t just reacting to disruptions but planning for them. As a result, they help create systems and processes that minimize downtime and maintain on-shelf availability and customer service continuity.

FOSTERING RESILIENCY IN STARTUP ENVIRONMENTS

For startups, resiliency is often a matter of survival. Limited runway, evolving market dynamics, and the constant need to secure funding put immense pressure on entrepreneurs to adapt quickly. Here, the interplay of grit and stamina becomes a defining factor.

Grit, as it applies to resiliency, is the ability to stay focused and execute decisively under pressure. In Hebrew, the translation of grit evokes the image of a knife between one’s teeth—symbolizing readiness and determination. Stamina, on the other hand, reflects the long-term perseverance required to endure setbacks and maintain focus over years.

Successful entrepreneurs combine these traits with visionary thinking. When faced with a cash flow gap—such as needing to raise funds in 12 months when investment cycles take 18 months—they must identify creative revenue streams or cost-cutting measures to extend their runway. Resiliency, then, is not just about survival; it is about the capacity to pivot and seize new opportunities.

RESILIENCY ACROSS INDUSTRIES: KEY STRATEGIES

Strategies for improving resiliency apply across multiple sectors. Organizations can enhance their ability to recover and thrive by adopting these core strategies:

• Diversify Supply Chains: Relying on a single supplier or region increases vulnerability. By cultivating a diverse network of suppliers and logistics partners, organizations mitigate the impact of localized disruptions.
• Invest In Technology: Real-time tracking, AI-driven demand forecasting, and automated decision-making tools enable faster, more accurate responses to disruptions.
• Foster A Culture Of Grit And Stamina: Encourage employees to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Resilient organizations prioritize training, mentorship, and people-first culture to create a workforce that thrives under pressure.
• Integrate Risk Management Into Strategic Planning: Resiliency begins at the planning stage. By incorporating risk scenarios into strategic decision-making, organizations better align resources with potential vulnerabilities.
• Leverage Loss Prevention Expertise: Loss prevention teams are natural champions of resiliency. Engage them in cross-functional initiatives to strengthen preparedness across all departments.
• Develop Contingency Plans: From alternative supply routes to emergency funding sources, having contingency plans in place ensures that disruptions don’t lead to prolonged downtime.

In an era where frequent disruption is the norm, resiliency is more than a safeguard—it is a competitive advantage. Resiliency requires a holistic approach that spans supply chain management, employee training, risk planning, and leadership vision. It demands grit and stamina from individuals and a culture of preparedness from organizations. By making resiliency a cornerstone of your strategy, you position your organization to navigate uncertainty and not only survive disruption but thrive in its aftermath.

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