Caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, it can be easy to forget that everyone has a personal life outside, and that they may be going through a difficult time.
With two-thirds of US children reporting having experienced a traumatic event by 16 years old, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, odds are the majority of an organization’s workforce has lived through some sort of trauma.
Trauma has a wide range of definitions, but it could include a vehicle accident, serious medical event, an unexpected death of a loved one, or natural disaster, according to the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
It’s important for HR pros to understand how traumatic experiences can show up in employees’ behaviors, one workplace consultant told HR Brew. That means becoming a trauma-informed leader—and setting an example for others to do the same.
What is it? A trauma-informed leader is just as it sounds, said Allessandria Polizzi, CEO and founder of Verdant Consulting. “It is becoming informed about how trauma impacts workers in our workplaces, and how that shows up in their behaviors,” she told HR Brew.
“It is not identifying the trauma, resolving the trauma. We don’t have to go into what the trauma is, or whether we [think] it’s traumatic. It’s really about understanding how certain behaviors can show up and look for different people with different backgrounds,” she said.
How can I be one? Whether you’re a new or established leader, Polizzi suggested staying open-minded and recognizing how trauma can affect employees.
Let’s say, for example, an employee who was once seemingly engaged is often tardy or absent. A leader who isn’t trauma-informed, Polizzi said, might judge or assert biases about an employee’s tardiness or absenteeism, thinking they’re “lazy or they don’t want to work.” But a trauma-informed leader might recognize these as signs that an employee may be “pulling away” because of something painful.
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Say to yourself, “Here’s a behavior that seems a little off to me, and I know what to do. It’s not [a] jump to judgment, but [a] jump to questions,” she added.
Questions like, “How are you doing?” and “Where can I help you?” are never intended to have an employee share their trauma, Polizzi said. HR’s priority should be to cocreate solutions with an employee, she added, so if an employee is tardy, a trauma-informed leader would work together with them to create solutions with a “gentle and kind approach” and “demonstrates calmness and curiosity.”
Ask yourself questions like, “How do I show up as a leader?” and “Do I understand the reactions…or the behaviors I see and understand where they’re coming from?” she suggested.
Remember, we’re all human. Polizzi said you should always remember that your employees are human, and they experience stress, burnout, and trauma. Empathy is crucial in being a trauma-informed leader.
“We believe that we’ve seen everything. We know what people’s intent are. We know what their motivations are. We know what’s going on with them. [But] we don’t,” Polizzi said. “So, pull back and say: What might be driving this behavior? What don’t I know?”
Remaining curious and open to learning can help HR leaders establish relationships and partnerships, she added.
While trauma can be an intimidating word, it is essential to understand how humans are wired at work, Polizzi said, and “the more we can understand [about] how humans work, and not treat them like machines, the more we get out of the investment in humans as our workforce.”