Trauma affects how people deal with stress and authority and can even affect how they respond to normal workplace situations. Work can be affected by just a few simple changes to communication and management.
Offer Genuine Choice in Interactions
Offer choices whenever possible (e.g. would they like to discuss something now or later? Can they sit or stand? Can the meeting be held one-to-one or on the phone?). Giving people choices regarding control of a situation can help them feel more in control of their lives.
Keep Communication Consistent and Predictable
Give people advance notice of meetings and be consistent with how you manage. Set an agenda for meetings and make sure you stick to what you say you are going to do. Avoid last minute changes wherever possible.
Check the Room Before You Use It
A meeting space can be an area of trauma for people. Choose a room with an exit if possible. Try to avoid ‘ucci’ seating arrangements and keep the space calm and private. It takes no effort at all to choose a better room before a meeting.
Respond Without Pressing for Detail
When someone is distressed try not to ask what happened or why. Acknowledge what you can see of their reaction and give them time to recover from whatever has happened. Even if they want to talk about what has happened, try to avoid pressing them for details. As their manager or supervisor you can say ‘I can see this is hard for you’ and then leave them to it.
Watch Your Language
Avoid using language that implies blame, such as “you need to move on”, or that someone’s trauma is in the past, “it happened a long time ago”. Instead use neutral, non-judgemental language when speaking with others.
Build It In Through Training
Trauma-informed practice training is the best way to embed trauma-informed ways of working into the habits of a team or department. If you want Trauma informed practice training, tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/trauma-informed-practice-training/ is a good place to start.
Even a few of these changes, implemented consistently, can have a significant impact in creating a safe working environment for people with experiences of trauma that you may not be aware of.