Trauma-informed practice in the workplace: An introduction

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.

Read the full article HERE