**5. Identification and training of possible vulnerable population**

Psychologists have various tools that they have used to identify vulnerable populations and individuals who were affected by COVID-19 pandemic. The most common factors that were identified and linked with the pandemic were anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal ideations [52]. Training should be given to hospital staff, and more psychological trainees must be hired to increase the reach of identifying possible cases. Additionally, online resources can be of great help as there are several studies that used online survey methods for the collection of data from individuals for connecting and associating possible linkages between COVID-19 and psychological issues [53]. With the help of such tactics, training of other medical staff can be of great use.

Moreover, resilience itself is a natural phenomenon that each human uses to a varied extent on daily basis. If psychologists can use mediums like social platforms to outreach to people and communities they can easily deliver their message across, teaching people how to use the resources they have to overcome their distress and fears and use their own capabilities and strengths in these times of need to emerge into a better-transformed version of themselves.

#### **5.1 Post—COVID-19 as new era**

The post—COVID-19 epidemic period became known as the "new normal." It is a time of hardships and insecurity. Flexibility, inquiry, risk minimization, education by investigating, education by doing, and attention are all highly valued in today's world [54]. All conceptions would be undergoing metamorphosis in this new normal. As the globe continues to confront socioeconomic challenges that highlight the need for reform, these notions will become more innovative. The kind and direction of change in the new normal would be determined by the type and quantity of programs evaluated during the society's crisis or stability state. More inventive strategies are anticipated to manage the constantly volatile market in this period. Many unique sorts of obstacles are foreseen in every industry throughout the new normal. This should increase the likelihood of creativity as a consequence of possibilities that come with the obstacles, as well as resilience, which represent a necessary attitude for existence during times of upheaval. This is essential as studies conducted during and post— COVID-19 pandemic suggested distress of varying degrees, while stating the distress flow to be continuous at the highest [55].

#### **5.2 Importance of inspiration and resilience during times of transformation**

The new normal necessitates effective alternatives that in turn can utilize and spread to several domains of life. At this pivotal juncture, it is vital to incorporate epidemic measures into routine lives. Concludingly, it is a period for creativity and endurance, which increases confidence in people and allows them to implement change [56].

The extreme turmoil caused by the COVID-19 epidemic generated unique possibilities that can currently be observed in medical and social progress and undiscovered financial concepts. With the rise of both dire moments and hazards, there are also concealed

possibilities. For instance, as the duration of the lockdown increased, individuals began to experience worry or stress as a consequence of their concerns about their ultimate possibilities, as a consequence of the volatility and unpredictability that impacted their employment, educational ambitions, and overall life path. As a result, health officials and other state authorities must implement more involvement and participation programs to guarantee each individual has a supervisor to assist him or her in coping with the devastating repercussions of the post—COVID-19 overflow. The advisor's duty is to investigate the origins and attitude of motivation of the community engaged to promote their resilience [57].

#### **5.3 A new journey of life and livelihood**

More than ever before, this new normal is dictating how we live and earn a living. For example, we must wholly, at present, live with and fix the underlying factors that caused the disaster. Isolation difficulties, as well as taking and dealing with all safeguards, are becoming the standard. The COVID-19 epidemic is even shifting our criteria of life happiness away from cash and goods and toward capability, which contributes to the transformation. This requires a shift in attitude that recognizes the significance of having "life business strategies" that maintain enjoyment without being constrained by "what happens to you," but by "what occurs from you" [57].

While adjusting to the "New Normal," supplemental programs are required to alleviate the sensation and worry of the "BIG changes" arriving so quickly, which would have an instantaneous psychological effect like job insecurity, according to Buheji and Sisk [56]. Working from home is getting increasingly difficult, with many people and even organizations struggling to survive, competing for such scarce positions. As a result, every one of us must identify our novel regular function as a game while attempting to manage the unpredictable 3 Fs surrounding us: family, finance, and freedom.

People would be facing more constrained freedom of many activities that they did not anticipate to occur in their life during the transition to the new normal, particularly when the majority of this liberty is tied to the reason of preserving lives. As a result, it is time to reconsider our options for reorganizing. This resetting changes our mentality and forces us to reconsider what we desire from our lives and the courses we will follow. This is a watershed moment in our lives, therefore let us seize it.

#### **5.4 Career resilience**

After COVID-19, nearly every day, we overhear accounts of how this condition has tested people's resiliency or inspired them to persevere. Whether it is people handling telecommuting, health workers risking their personal safety by continuing to perform their responsibilities in close interaction with each other, or others suffering unemployment, resilience, and employment are intrinsically linked to the coronavirus discourse.

Modern scholars disagree on whether career resiliency (CR) is a trait, a skill, or a behavior. CR has been described in numerous ways [58, 59]. Yet the majority concur it is about adapting and enduring in the face of shocks or hardship, and they recognize its value while considering professions in today's fast-changing economy. Rochat et al. [60] outlined a procedure for determining the "fundamental elements of professional adaptability," which contains (1) Evaluating scenarios that may present threats to employment — in this case, COVID-19; and (2) Identifying related "risk

and protective variables" to establish effective, adaptable results. They assert that CR functions as a mediator between unpleasant professional situations and potential rewards.

Most research on CR agrees that both personal and situational factors influence a person's career adaptability [59, 61, 62]. Personal characteristics, abilities, attitudes, and actions have been shown to cause favorable or negative effects on a person's resilience. Considerable implications for CR also include environmental elements such as welcoming workplaces, occupational characteristics, and supportive families [59]. These personal and situational traits are the "risk and protective components" described by Rochat et al. [60], particularly essential for occupational resilience. Therefore, a lack of resources renders people in danger and can adversely affect their resistance capacity, but personal resources can produce favorable outcomes.

Despite the indisputable significance of CR, one of the critical provisions of the endeavor to develop worker resiliency is the emphasis on transforming individuals instead of the environment, which frequently serves as the source of the problem [60, 63]. However, a lack of resilience is commonly perceived as a "personality defect" [64] and firms would prefer to recruit for resiliency and provide resistance training than adjust the organizational conditions that may be causing the problem. As organizations plan for a post-pandemic era, we have reached a critical point. How can institutions that invest in sustaining a competent workforce establish resilient cultures, and how might HRD assist?

#### **5.5 Sustainability and careers after COVID-19**

The requirements for successful professions include four factors: longevity, social space, action, and relevance. In practice, this means that sustainable jobs encompass the entirety of a person's life, including both paid and unpaid work. They acknowledge the confluence of several life contexts, such as social, professional, and familial, and accommodate the needs of each. Ultimately, they are assisted by professionally created options that prioritize both significance and utility [65]. Increased acknowledgment of collective responsibility among employees and their employers is a fundamental notion. Although these characteristics were not created for the COVID-19 era, they are well-suited for the future of professions.

Unexpected benefits of hiding in place have included the ability to reflect on one's professional past, present, and future, which has sometimes led to a re-evaluation of life and accomplished goals. It has fostered a revitalized awareness of social connectedness, highlighting the more congenial environment in which we live and work, and has enhanced the ties between work, social, and family life on an unprecedented scale. As individuals and organizations exit the first phase of COVID-19 adaptation, the experience will have transformed how we think about and conduct future work.

To develop a successful career post coronavirus, it will be essential to learn from this occurrence and utilize the knowledge gained. Being in a learning mode is a metacompetency in the quest of occupational longevity, according to Heslin et al. [66]. The McKinsey Institute [67] echoed this conclusion, but from a systems perspective, reckoning that "innovation, expertise, and adaptability" will likely be necessary to successfully emerge from this disaster.

Chudzikowski et al. [68] provided a further dimension to the sustainable link to the post-COVID study, adding extra layers of difficulty on how an environment affects professional choice. People make career decisions on the basis of how they value individual desires in combination with the needs of their communities, and

these goals may change with professional phases, leading to numerous decisions at diverse career stages. Companies committed to retaining talent and developing a durable environment can assist in this endeavor by providing guidance and studying ways to maintain people participating and progressing over time [68]. As we progress, we have the opportunity to establish and strengthen workplaces that adhere to the triple bottom line of profits, planet, and people. This is an opportunity to begin again.

#### **5.6 The conservation of resources (COR) theory**

These many profession elements use Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources (COR) theory as a theoretical model to illustrate how professions are maintained, the potential implications of profession interruptions, and how assets can influence professional resiliency [61, 69, 70]. The COR idea was developed to help comprehend what occurs when individuals are exposed to distress [71]. Humans, according to Hobfoll [72], seek to develop and conserve resources and will endeavor to minimize the erosion of these resources when pressured. COR theory emphasizes the importance of the environment in the stress reaction and how it might diminish or enhance people's resources. COR theory highlights the significance of the environment in the stress response and how it can deplete or boost people's resources [73]. Therefore, this concept of gathering and keeping resources can characterize and aid in the management of professional disruptions, the development of resilience, and the maintenance of careers.

However, what happens to persons with meager resources? According to Hobfoll [72], resources are undistributed evenly, and those without resources are most exposed to increased losses. In addition, Hobfoll [73] hypothesized situations can threaten a person's resource capacity, with these occurrences offering greater problems for "less resource-endowed persons of financially affluent nations and for developing and financially distressed nations." This occurrence, COVID-19, has exacerbated the widening gaps between those with and without in recent years. COVID-19 has worsened disparities between populations within nations (like low-income and marginalized groups) and between nations [74]. Many individuals will lack the resources essential to remain resilient in the face of this career setback.

Consequently, what can be done to ensure that people have the essential skills and resilience components to enhance their resilience throughout this crisis? Clearly, this requires more than a singular, temporary solution. On the contrary, it involves constant efforts by organizations, authorities, and societies to examine a variety of techniques to aid individuals in amassing and maintaining riches. The importance of a holistic strategy that acknowledges the interconnection of business, government, and society. The coronavirus has deepened these links, extending across borders and requiring coordinated efforts or failure. As we advance in our rehabilitation, we must be determined not to abandon vast segments of the population.

### **6. Conclusions**

Conclusively, humans have a great capacity for adaptability in adverse situations. History is filled with such evidence of how humans have survived and triumphed over such difficult situations. Currently, humans have already developed habits such as using face masks and sanitizers as part of their daily routines. Likewise, using proper psychological, individual, and social models immensely increase the adaptation and

*A Way Forward: Psychological Adaptation and Transformation of Life Post COVID-19 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107161*

transformation of humans into stronger and more persistent organism. The chapter has greatly discussed and elaborated several theories of resilience and their adaptability to the daily lives of people. Likewise, the chapter has also covered various techniques that can be implemented by government and local bodies for the betterment of humans post COVID-19 pandemic.

### **Acknowledgements**

No acknowledgment nor any funding sources are present.

### **Conflict of interest**

The authors declare no conflict of interest.
