The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Facilitating a trauma-informed workplace
The Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute defines trauma-informed workplaces as those that “understand and recognize the presence of trauma, acknowledge the role trauma can play in a person’s life, and promote work environments that support the individual and collective well-being of all staff and clients.”
A trauma-informed workplace understands that work can traumatize employees in a hybrid workforce that blurs the lines between home and work.
For first responders, presumptive legislation recognizes that traumatic situations can result in post-traumatic stress disorder. However, this is not the whole picture. A growing conversation is showing why worksites must become trauma-informed workplaces.
According to the National Council of Behavioral Health, 70 per cent of American adults have experienced some traumatic event at least once. A trauma-informed workplace understands that trauma can affect workers’ ability to think, learn and manage change, making it hard for some workers to fit in and get along with others.
Trauma can be an event or situation that a worker experiences as threatening and it overwhelms their coping resources. Every worker experiences events differently; there is no right or wrong regarding trauma.
It is not reserved for highimpact events like 9-11 and COVID. It can result from childhood experiences and toxic workplaces that can cause emotional wounds. An affected worker may not be fully aware of trauma or realize they are in a crisis because many are good at hiding it. Trauma tends to worsen over time and can show up as a worker having a short fuse.
Accept that trauma is real and happens to employees while at work. Causes can include domestic violence and being excluded from workplace operations because of gender, race or sexual orientation. Work procedures that create a constant feeling of crisis, leading to fear and stress, also can trigger trauma.
Jennifer Freyd coined the term “institutional betrayal” for the result of workers living in a constant state of fear. The betrayal stems from the belief an organization claimed it would protect and support workers when they started.
Leaders can develop a context for what a trauma-informed workplace looks like. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides six guiding steps for trauma-informed workplaces: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration and mutuality, empowerment and choice, and culture, historical and gender issues.
Leaders and employers who want to create trauma-informed workplaces must accept it is not a one-and-done event. It requires a clear plan to facilitate leaders’ knowledge and skills to mitigate workplace trauma and support workers.
Leaders need to adopt a Plan, Do, Check, Act approach to measuring and monitoring whether established programs are working as intended.
Leaders should learn to support a psychologically safe workplace committed to protecting workers from harm and where workers feel safe to share their thoughts. Workers in a psychologically safe workplace believe if they need help, their employer and leaders will protect them and stop the source of trauma.
When a worker displays out-of-character behaviour, leaders should try to understand the root cause rather than assume they are being a jerk. When experiencing trauma, a worker is at risk of being in a state of fear and dysregulation, resulting in irritability, isolation, avoiding conflict and passive-aggressive behaviour.
Leaders are never expected to diagnose post-traumatic stress or maladaptive coping behaviour. Persons experiencing trauma benefit more from empathy than judgment and shaming.
Become a psychologically safe leader. Create a workplace grounded in trust where workers feel safe speaking up and sharing their points of view. Leaders trained or modelled by old commandand-control styles struggle to build trust. Leaders who develop basic knowledge of a psychologically safe workplace use a psychologically safe leader’s intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to guide their workforce each day.
Leadership is not a concept; it’s behaviour. A human-centric approach positions leaders to support a trauma-informed workplace.
Offer support unconditionally. Leaders can be a powerful support system by educating workers about the organization’s programs available to help during tough times and anchor their openness as a resource happy to help. When a worker asks for help, let them know you’re available and willing to provide support.