ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
Open Access
DIRECT FROM AAS
Building Workforce Resilience: Strategies for Thriving in Uncertain Times
American Academy of Sanitarians
In light of the prevailing challenges facing the environmental health workforce, profes- sionals need to develop the ability to adapt, stay productive under pressure, and maintain commitment to their purpose, even when there is a sense of unpredictability about future directions. Developing this adaptabil- ity is crucial for personal growth and well- being, staying engaged in your work, and uncovering innovative solutions to guide you through tough times. Without cultivating such flexibility, you might be more vulner- able to burnout and disengagement. Building personal strength and durabil- ity goes beyond simply surviving dicult times—it is about thriving despite adversity. By following a few key steps, you can be bet- ter prepared to navigate uncertainties and respond with elasticity and self-reliance to whatever comes your way. Understand Personal Resilience Personal resilience refers to an individual’s ability to adapt, thrive, and maintain a sense of well-being in the face of challenges. It is more than just recovering from setbacks—it involves staying focused, solving problems, and maintaining a positive outlook even under stress. In the demanding field of envi- ronmental health, this ability means having the emotional intelligence to manage stress, self-regulate emotions, and stay motivated. Techniques for personal resilience include pausing before reacting to prevent impul- sive decisions, practicing stress management techniques (e.g., exercise or yoga to stay calm under pressure), and developing healthy cop- ing mechanisms (e.g., talking to a friend, journaling, practicing relaxation exercises).
Editor’s Note: In an eort to provide environmental health profes- sionals with relevant information and tools to further the profession, their careers, and themselves, the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) has teamed up with the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS) to publish two columns a year in the Journal . AAS is an organization that “elevates the standards, improves the practice, advances the professional proficiency, and promotes the highest levels of ethical conduct among professional sanitarians in every field of environmental health.” Membership with AAS is based on meeting certain high standards and criteria, and AAS members represent a prestigious list of environmental health professionals from across the country. Through the column, information from dierent AAS members who are subject-matter expects with knowledge and experience in a multitude of environmental health topics will be presented to the Journal’s readership. The conclusions and opinions of this column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of NEHA.
O ver the past decade, the environmen- tal public health workforce in the U.S. has faced numerous complex challenges, including budget cuts, reduc- tion of sta, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing disruptions due to emerging and reemerging threats. The Ameri- can Psychological Association (2025) found that 77% of U.S. workers experienced work- related stress in the past month, with 57% reporting negative health eects. Further challenges were identified in a study by Dine et al. (2024), which notes that elements of field-based employment expose environmental health inspectors to random
risks, including real and threatened physical conflict. In 2020, as part of an environmen- tal health workforce needs assessment during the COVID-19 response, the National Envi- ronmental Health Association (NEHA, 2020) reported that environmental health practitio- ners were emotionally exhausted and under- staed. Further, the 2024 Public Health Work- force Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) found that although the majority of public health workers expressed satisfaction with their roles, many employees cited heavy work- loads and ongoing stress as key factors con- tributing to their decisions to leave (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024).
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Volume 87 • Number 9
https://doi.org/10.70387/001c.137196
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