Allowing vulnerability, emotion, and the human condition into the workplace is no longer a nice idea— it is an imperative to the new norm. Today’s organizations and their leaders need to develop and maintain cultures of acceptance that minimize workplace trauma and address existing employee trauma. While today’s leading-edge organizations are beginning to implement well-being strategies in response to increased burnout, stress, and employee mental health challenges, these practices have yet to see a substantial positive impact. We must look at the root cause of these issues – trauma response and lack of psychologically safe workplaces – to really begin to create the culture of healing and transformation we all desire.
Why Trauma? Why Now?
The truth is trauma is affecting the majority of our workforce. The research is staggering: 70% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one traumatic event. Studies also show nearly 20% of us carry four or more of the ten adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that significantly increase our risk of physical and mental health challenges, and roughly 5% suffer from diagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).
Yet, when I recently asked a room of 500 HR professionals if they had trauma-sensitive policies in place, I was met with silence and some blank stares. This lack of response underscores a significant issue: we are highly trauma-affected and grossly trauma-unaware.
My journey, personally and professionally, underscores the lack of awareness and the necessity of these changes. Having experienced firsthand the debilitating impact of a less-than-safe workplace as a person with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I am driven by a deep-seated commitment to advocate for trauma-informed policies and psychologically safe environments to ensure that everyone can be their best and their brightest.
To ensure that, we must:
- Educate ourselves on the issues at hand to create the pathway to truly healthy, thriving environments
- Challenge cultural norms around mental health, moral injury, and trauma at the organizational and systemic levels
- Break the silence to eliminate fear around sharing our trauma stories and our unique needs and providing feedback to create change.
Understanding Trauma and Its Impact
One of the greatest obstacles to establishing trauma-informed policies is a limited understanding of trauma itself. Many immediately reference our brave veterans and their experiences when asked about their knowledge. While their sacrifices deserve acknowledgment, trauma is a complex experience that can profoundly affect emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines trauma as “the emotional response to an event or series of events perceived as harmful or threatening” (SAMSHA, 2014). Trauma can be acute, stemming from a single event, or chronic, resulting from prolonged distress. Consider the child who faces neglect or abuse, the individual in a harmful relationship, those exposed to systemic, often intergenerational, discrimination, or the differently-abled or neurodivergent person who is a target of bullying, exclusion, and abuse. Each of these diverse experiences illustrates the multifaceted nature of trauma.
Even when we become aware of trauma’s impact, stigma, and fear can prevent employees from sharing their experiences. Employees often worry about being judged or treated differently, while employers hesitate to ask. There is fear that breaking the silence will ruin everything and everyone. I understand this fear and stigma firsthand as I have worked in multiple companies where physical and emotional aggression, bullying, lack of empathy, and more were common practices, and sharing any weakness would have been further damaging. It was not a great environment for someone with damaging early life experiences, yet, thanks to my particular trauma expression, it was easy to mask the pain through my fawn trauma response, where my pain looked like success—until it turned into pain and burnout.
The High Cost of Unsafe Spaces
A 2023 Gallup poll estimates that disengaged employees cost the global economy $8.8 trillion, or 9% of the GDP. All information points to the fact that a substantial amount of that can be equated to psychologically unsafe workplaces and trauma response.
Furthermore, the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice identified higher turnover, absenteeism, presenteeism, lower productivity, and increased errors as outworkings of trauma-insensitive workplace practices. In addition, the cost of inaction affects a company’s healthcare costs as well, with studies showing a direct correlation between trauma and health conditions such as heart disease, substance use, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more.
The Pillars of a Trauma-Informed Approach
Adopting a trauma-informed approach helps guide organizations in creating environments that recognize trauma, actively work to mitigate new workplace trauma, and minimize workplace behaviors that activate trauma responses from past events.
A trauma-informed approach by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014) is predicated on six core principles:
- Safety
- Trustworthiness and Transparency
- Peer Support
- Collaboration and Mutuality
- Empowerment/Voice and Choice
- Cultural Sensitivity
By embedding these core principles (further outlined below) into organizational policies and practices, leaders can create environments that recognize and respond to the effects of trauma, enhance empathy and understanding, and build more supportive interactions among colleagues. Furthermore, adopting a trauma-informed lens allows organizations to move from a deficit-focused model to one that emphasizes the resilience, creativity, innovation, and unique perspective that are inherent strengths in the trauma survivor, ultimately fostering a culture of healing, transformation, and shared growth.
Why Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety, as defined by Amy Edmondson (1999), refers to a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. This concept transcends traditional notions of safety by emphasizing the importance of open dialogue, where employees feel comfortable voicing concerns, sharing ideas, and admitting mistakes without fear of negative consequences.
Psychological safety encourages creativity and innovation, as individuals are more likely to contribute unique perspectives in an environment free from judgment. Research has proven that teams with high psychological safety outperform those with low safety, underscoring its value in fostering high-performing organizations. For instance, Google’s Project Aristotle revealed that psychological safety was the most critical factor influencing team effectiveness, highlighting the need for organizations to prioritize this aspect of workplace culture (Duhigg, 2016).
This need for psychological safety to create results is not surprising. When this safety does not exist, it deters progress, can create active trauma responses in individuals, and hamper the collaboration and mutuality that underpins a trauma-informed approach.
Practical Application, Quick Wins, and Key Frameworks
Implementing these practices can seem daunting. There is no one-size-fits-all approach because, at the end of the day, we are humans employing humans with all of our individual and unique strengths, stories, skills, and stressors. Added challenges such as resistance to change, lack of resources, and ingrained organizational cultures complicated the matter further. However, there are resources to help.
I highly recommend not trying to eat the whole elephant. The framework below outlines seven core actions that can be implemented one at a time, if necessary, and still have a significant impact as each item is implemented. As you undertake your work on each element, the below steps will help to create success:
Conduct Organizational Assessments: Evaluate the current organizational culture around the focus element and identify problem areas and gaps in support and resources. Surveys and focus groups can offer valuable insights into employee experiences and perceptions regarding trauma and psychological safety.
Provide Training: Organize training sessions on trauma awareness and the importance of the focus element as it relates to compassion, collaboration, and conflict resolution. These sessions can equip employees with the tools necessary to engage empathetically with one another and foster a supportive environment. They also create clarity around new policies, expectations, communication channels, and accountability protocols.
Establish Support Systems: Create clear communication channels and support systems, such as mentorship and employee assistance programs. These resources can empower employees to seek help and share their experiences, reinforcing a culture of psychological safety.
Encourage Feedback: Implement regular feedback mechanisms, such as anonymous surveys or open forums, to actively solicit input on the new policies and practices related to the focus element. By providing this transparency in decision-making and multiple avenues for communication, you demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and tackle additional elements in the framework.
Lead by Example: HR professionals and leadership must model the behaviors that promote psychological safety and trauma-informed practices. By openly discussing mental health, sharing vulnerabilities, and demonstrating empathy, leaders can create a culture where the principles of the focus element thrive. These further build trust, which is a critical aspect of all trauma-informed approaches, as trust is often the biggest obstacle for the trauma survivor.
In addition to the framework above, the Surgeon General’s framework for mental health in the workplace, released in 2022, directly aligns with a trauma-informed approach, emphasizing supportive environments, access to resources, and a culture of well-being. The 30-page framework offers further guidance and focuses on 1) protection from harm, 2) opportunities for growth, 3) connection and community, 4) work-life harmony, and 5) mattering at work.
As we consider the profound implications of trauma-informed policies and psychologically safe workplaces, the path toward resilience is not only necessary but achievable. By championing these principles, we can take charge of creating workplaces that prioritize mental health and well-being.
This collective effort fosters environments where individuals feel empowered to contribute authentically and where resilience, creativity, innovation, and individual strengths can flourish. It allows us to shine a light on the power of our humanness for the good of the workers in the workplace and the world.
About The Author
Anita Roach, Chief Illuminator at i.d.lumination, courageously shares her personal story and uses her 30 years of professional experience to bring much needed awareness around the impacts of trauma and psychological safety in our organizations. She is the author of the upcoming Safe & Sound: Cultivating Trauma(Human)-Informed Approaches for Employee and Employer Well-being, a fierce advocate and disruptor, speaker, coach, and consultant. Her unique approach focuses on transforming people’s thinking and fostering safer, more inclusive environments. With a passion for empowering teams and leaders, Anita works to reshape organizational cultures and support human-centered growth through thoughtful, innovative solutions.
Anita Join us in engaging conversations and community as we transform the now and next of work together at Transform 2025.