Building Positive Workplaces with Trauma-Responsive Practices
Susie was considered a key candidate for an upcoming C-Suite role. She certainly had a lot of the skills to excel in that role. Susie was the “plug the holes in the boat” person. When there was a crisis, Susie was the go-to person to fix it. Good on Susie!
Except for one key issue that was brought to light as we conducted 360’s from around the organization.
Turns out that though Susie got things done, it was because people feared her. Not because they respected her. Susie got things done through steamrolling, bullying, and bossing.
But no one trusted her and she herself didn’t trust anyone. She had good reasons not to. And it had nothing to do with her work situation. Susie’s younger life experiences had taught her that others couldn’t be trusted.
Trauma can have a significant impact on a person’s leadership effectiveness and ultimately the culture of an organization.
Organizations are living systems that house many individuals who all come with their own beliefs, values, behaviors and perspectives about authority, power, and control. If a significant number of individuals within that system have experienced trauma in their family of origin, then it is likely that the leadership culture will have dimensions of authoritarian or controlling leadership styles.
Research tells us that 70% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one traumatic event in their life with 25% having experience four or more significant events. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nov 2019)
That means that as a leader, if you have 10 direct reports, 7 of those reports are carrying trauma “hangovers” into the workplace with them that can display at any time, particularly during times of high change, where stress levels are increased. Not only does it display with behaviors as mentioned above, but it also negatively impacts overall work productivity, performance, job satisfaction and commitment to the mission of the organization.
Trauma is common and doesn’t discriminate. It comes from all kinds of causes including domestic violence, sexual assault, racism, bias, uncertain economics, loss of love done, serious illness, poverty. Organizations have their own kinds of trauma such as those that have experienced significant amounts of change (e. g., change fatigue), or those that have reached near bankruptcy or overall bad leadership to name a few.
We are witnessing pervasive outcomes of trauma in our workplaces today. The cost of overall health and wellbeing in our workplaces is reaching $193.2 billion dollars a year due to absenteeism.
“The pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to rethink how we work. We have the power to make workplaces engines for mental health and well-being. Doing so will require organizations to rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show them that they matter, make space for their lives outside work, and support their long-term professional growth.”
– Vivek Murthy, U. S. Surgeon General, M. D, M.B.A.
So, what’s a solution?
An emerging focus area that we are working clients with is helping them to build their trauma responsive culture.
“Trauma-informed workplaces offer a sanctuary of safety and support,
a place where people can bring their whole selves and be valued for who they are.”
– Sandra Bloom, MD,
Campaign for Trauma Informed Policy & Practice Board Chair
By leveraging the use of scientific evidence based research, organizational assessments, education, action learning practice, and other various trauma responsive tools, we help our clients implement policies and processes that increase their resilience levels, create cultures of respect and empathy, and shape their workplaces into positive places of well-being.
If your organization is looking for ways to reduce high staff turnover and absenteeism, increase productivity, elevate performance and build an organization that eliminates current workplace issues such as bullying and harassment, contact us at info@transformstrat.com. We’re happy to chat and explore the conversation with you.
About Transformation Strategies
Founded by Tricia Steege in 2001, Transformation Strategies is a trusted coaching and consulting firm that assists its clients to realize their desired futures by partnering with them to create comprehensive change strategies and develop their leaders to accomplish real results. We specialize in shifting whole systems at one time and creating trauma responsive cultures.
