Trauma is often associated with frontline services or clinical care. In fact, it is present in many workplaces. More than 70% of people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (Benjet et al., 2016). Most people will never disclose a prior traumatic experience to their employer, and while many do not develop diagnosable conditions as a result, many will carry the effects of those experiences into the workplace. For some, this may be seen through behaviours that developed as ways of coping or adapting to difficult experiences. For others, the impact may be linked to physical or long-term health conditions associated with trauma.

Trauma-informed practice (TIP) offers a way for organisations to better understand and respond when prior trauma may be evident, seeking to understand what is behind the behaviours that are seen.

For organisations, becoming trauma-informed represents a move towards a more transparent and psychologically safe culture; one where there is greater understanding of how trauma can shape behaviour, and where organisational systems and environments are designed to reduce unnecessary distress rather than unintentionally contribute to it (The National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work, 2026).  

Every organisation is likely to have employees who have lived experiences of trauma. So, the question for organisations isn’t whether trauma shows up at work, but whether it is recognised when it does. Recognition facilitates a supportive and nurturing culture, rather than unintentionally exacerbating trauma-responses through systems, policies, or leadership behaviours.

What is trauma?

Psychological trauma is often associated with extreme or catastrophic events. However, it is more accurately defined by its impact, or how someone experiences the event, rather than the event itself. It is widely understood that situations that involve threat, horror, or loss, can be experienced as traumatic, shaped by how it affects a person’s nervous system, sense of safety, and their ability to cope and function (Van Der Kolk, 2006). Events might be one-off, such as transport accidents, death or losing possessions in a house fire, or more prolonged such as adverse childhood experiences of growing up in poverty, or in a household with domestic abuse (Oral et al., 2016), for example.

The way in which a person adapts to deal with what they experience, shapes their behaviour, not just in the short term, but in the way in which they respond when the nervous system perceives danger.

Trauma responses in the workplace

Trauma response behaviours will inevitably show up in the workplace at some point, sometimes alongside long-term health conditions associated with psychological trauma.

Behaviours such as withdrawal, defensiveness, avoidance, irritability, or perfectionism may all have roots in trauma responses. Outwardly, behaviours that may appear as disengagement, resistance, overreaction, or controlling behaviour can be someone trying to manage overwhelm, avoid criticism, brace for threat, or simply feel safer. Such behaviours may have developed from coping strategies that once helped someone deal with a traumatic experience (Harris and Fallot, 2001). However, when these behaviours are observed, the response is often to challenge or reprimand, or to manage through performance or conduct processes.

Unfortunately, these processes can exacerbate the trauma response.

When an organisation can become more curious and seek to understand, the question of ‘What’s wrong with this person’, becomes ‘What happened to this person that might have contributed to this behaviour?’

These are not conscious behaviours, rather the result of a person’s subconscious trying to protect themselves, and to feel safe. So, this process is not about seeking to find out what happened to someone in the past but rather being curious about what is happening in the present that might lead to their perception of fear, or lack of safety.

This is the foundation of trauma-informed practice

6 principles of a Trauma-informed approach

Trauma-informed practice is a whole-organisation approach that shapes culture, communication and systems, rather than being limited to one-off staff training (Sweeney and Taggart, 2018). By adopting the principles of trauma-informed care already widely used within health services (SAMHSA, 2014), organisations can start to create working environments that feel safer, more supportive, and less likely to exacerbate trauma responses. The principles provide a framework that covers safety, trustworthiness, empowerment and choice, collaboration, peer support, and cultural awareness. Within organisations, these principles influence everything from communication and management behaviours to policy design and employee experience (Bloom and Sreedhar, 2008; Fallot and Harris, 2009). 

Safety sits at the centre of a trauma-informed approach. Employees need to feel psychologically, emotionally, and physically safe within their work environment (Edmondson, 2004).  This means more than simply preventing harm. It includes understanding how certain management styles, workplace cultures, or colleague behaviours can affect people differently. For some individuals, experiences such as public criticism, unpredictability, exclusion, or feeling constantly under threat can trigger trauma responses, particularly where there has been previous experience of psychological abuse or prolonged stress.

Trustworthiness and transparency are equally important. Unclear communication, inconsistent processes, or uncertainty around organisational decisions can heighten anxiety and feelings of instability. Trauma-informed organisations therefore seek to create environments where communication is open, processes are consistent, and people understand what is happening and why. This becomes particularly important during periods of organisational change, restructures, investigations, or formal processes where uncertainty can easily trigger fear responses.

Empowerment and choice are also central to trauma-informed practice. Many trauma responses stem from experiences where someone felt powerless, trapped, or unable to influence what was happening to them. Organisational processes that leave people feeling unheard, or without options can unintentionally recreate those feelings. By involving employees in decisions, listening to concerns, and offering choice where possible, organisations can reduce feelings of threat and help people feel more able to engage.

Peer support and collaboration also play an important role in creating psychologically safer workplaces. Supportive colleagues, compassionate managers, and opportunities to speak openly without fear of judgement can make a significant difference to how safe someone feels at work. Informal peer support is often where people first feel understood, particularly when someone else has experienced something similar. Trauma-informed organisations recognise the importance of creating environments where people feel able to ask for help, share concerns, and work through difficulties with others, rather than feeling isolated or judged.

Finally, trauma-informed organisations understand that people experience the workplace differently depending on their background, culture, identity, and life experiences. Processes that work well for one person may feel overwhelming, inaccessible, or even unsafe for another. This is why trauma-informed practice encourages organisations to move away from blanket approaches and instead remain curious about individual experience. Taking time to understand what people need, how they experience the workplace, and what helps them feel safe and supported, allows organisations to respond in ways that are more compassionate, inclusive, and effective.

Benefits of a trauma-informed approach

When organisations seek to understand not just the behaviours being seen in the workplace, but what may sit behind them, they are often able to respond in more effective and supportive ways. Equally, when organisations start to review the systems, environments, and workplace cultures that may contribute to stress or trauma responses, the impact can be significant.

Trauma-informed organisations often report improvements in psychological safety, communication, collaboration, and employee wellbeing. Relationships between managers and employees can become more open and trusting, and workplaces may become better able to respond to challenge, change, and distress in a more compassionate and consistent way.

Over time, this can also contribute to improved engagement, retention, decision making, and organisational functioning more broadly. When people feel safer, heard, and supported within their working environment, they are often better able to participate, contribute, and perform effectively.

Understanding and responding to trauma is therefore fundamental to creating psychologically safe workplaces. A trauma-informed organisation is not simply one that recognises trauma, but one that actively considers how its culture, systems, processes, and leadership approaches affect the people within it.