Many of us are drawn to trauma-informed culture change because it "feels right." While it can be challenging to measure the impact of trauma-informed systems change; there's no doubt that the benefits are immense.
The concept of trauma-informed culture change has become a beacon of hope across various sectors, from education and healthcare to corporate and non-profit organizations - and for good reason.
While some of us think only of physical trauma when we hear the word "trauma," trauma-informed professionals acknowledge the widespread impact of trauma among our communities and our workforce. In other words, trauma-informed change benefits everyone.
The trauma-informed approach recognizes both the breadth and depth of the impact of trauma, and it empowers us to create environments that are safe, supportive, and healing.
No matter what industry or sector our clients work in, we see the same benefits repeated over and over again. How? Because the work we do is human-centered, and at the center of all organizations, there are human beings. So, regardless of your organizational goals, bottom line, or specific audience or clientele, trauma-informed approaches are proven to produce some of these most common benefits.
Keep reading to learn more about 7 benefits of implementing a trauma-informed culture change program within your organization.
1. Improved Employee Wellness
Many organizations hope to prioritize staff well-being, and many of those organizations fail in their attempts. The most common reason for this failure is that the organization's definition of "wellness" is off from the start. Wellness and self-care are about so much more than pizza parties, break rooms, and yoga classes.
Yes, those things can support employee wellness, but they are not the backbone of it.
"87% of employees report feeling a sense of dread at least once a month, with almost half experiencing it weekly. This sense of dread is even more pronounced among leaders, with 55% of executive-level employees and 59% of CEOs feeling it weekly."
When staff and leaders dread working, they are not well.
Trauma-informed approaches show us that it is possible to reduce and eliminate this sense of dread among workers. Not only that, but it is possible to swing in the other direction, where employees look forward to being at work.
Yes, you read that right.
By using trauma-informed approaches to build a healthy culture and strong community, the workplace becomes an environment teeming with both safety and support.
When work becomes a place where you see colleagues and friends who care for and value you, your sense of well-being at work dramatically improves. Better yet, that sense of well-being carries into your personal life.
2. Improved Productivity and Performance
When employees feel safe and supported, they naturally become more engaged and productive. A trauma-informed culture fosters a sense of belonging and purpose, motivating employees to bring their best selves to work every day.
Trauma-informed approaches also acknowledge that your "best" is different every day, reducing the strain of guilt and shame on employees who feel their performance is not up to par.
By emphasizing the importance of rest, play, and joy, and their interconnection to productivity, trauma-informed workplaces begin to unlearn toxic cultural norms around productivity, moving from task-first to person-first perspectives.
These are long-term changes that take months and sometimes even years to accomplish. However, trauma-informed approaches also offer immediate relief to common issues at work as well. Unanswered emails, interpersonal conflict, procrastination, meetings that seem to accomplish nothing... these are all signs of unaddressed trauma at work.
By teaching staff how to recognize and respond to trauma in both themselves and others, we empower them to escape "trauma brain" and regain access to the essential skills they lose when they are responding from their trauma: logic, memory, planning, emotional regulation, organization, and more.
3. Stronger Team Dynamics & Increased Engagement
Trauma-informed practices also promote open communication, empathy, and collaboration among team members, leading to stronger, more cohesive teams.
By emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships and social-emotional learning, trauma-informed workforce development improves many of these skills among staff, including:
teamwork and collaboration
effective communication
conflict de-escalation, resolution, and repair
Trauma-informed approaches don't expect us to be perfect. In fact, in a trauma-informed system, we acknowledge that mistakes happen. Sometimes we will be hurt by others, and sometimes we will hurt others. And, we trust in our and others' ability to do the repair work that needs to happen in order to move forward.
By building teams that value trust, compassion, and collaboration, we strengthen our team dynamics and cultivate an environment where engagement and collaboration arise naturally.
4. Increased Innovation and Creativity
When we are in an active trauma state, we lose access to our creativity, and creativity is a skill that we need staff to have.
Creativity enables us to both identify and solve problems. When staff are able to be creative, organizations run much more efficiently. Instead of looking to a supervisor for micromanagement, staff are able to make decisions and keep moving forward without needing someone else to decide, problem-solve, or plan on their behalf.
"Professionals overwhelmingly agree that creativity is required for economic growth, and is valuable to society (96%). Additionally, 78% say it is important in their career. Yet, 32% don’t feel comfortable thinking creatively in their career.
Additionally, supportive and safe work environments encourage employees to take risks and think creatively. By reducing the fear of failure, judgment, and retaliation, employers promote psychological safety. These trauma-informed cultures can lead to increased innovation and the development of new, groundbreaking ideas.
When employees feel safe to share bold ideas, it becomes possible for innovation to propel your company forward.
5. Reduced Turnover and Absenteeism
When 87% of employees dread coming to work, it's no wonder that absenteeism and turnover run rampant through our organizations. Usually, people don't quit because of their job. They quit because of their teams.
The number one reason people quit their job [in 2022] was a toxic company culture (62%).
While it can be challenging to measure organizational culture, turnover and chronic absenteeism are some of the most useful tools we have to measure organizational health and workforce satisfaction. In our clients who have committed to multi-year systems change programs, we've seen an immense reduction in turnover rates and chronic absenteeism among both employers and community members.
When organizations get to this point, they begin to engage in a positive cycle that reinforces their trauma-informed commitments. Instead of quitting due to overwhelm or stress, employees actively seek to address and resolve the root cause of that stress.
Furthermore, high turnover and absenteeism can drain resources and morale. By reducing turnover and increasing employee performance, less stress is placed on the system, supporting the positive feedback loop of trauma-informed systems change.
6. Better Client and Customer Relationships
When our own house is in order, our clients, customers, and stakeholders benefit. I often hear leaders say that their staff is "great with clients, but not great with each other." Here's the difficult conversation I often have: If your staff don't treat each other well, they are not treating your clients well.
Whether I'm working with social services, public health, a school district, or a statewide government system, this concept remains true. We have to get our internal teams in order first before we can have an impact on our greater community.
"You can only give what you are overflowing with. If you are overflowing with pain and sadness, that is what you give. If you are overflowing with compassion and care, that is what you give."
Shenandoah Chefalo, Chefalo Consulting
This is why it should come as no surprise that organizations that adopt trauma-informed principles often see improvements in their relationships with clients and customers. By fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, employees are better equipped to provide exceptional service and build trust. When employees overflow with creativity, community, and kindness, they are able to pass that on to other stakeholders.
7. Long-Term Sustainability and Growth
A trauma-informed culture lays the foundation for long-term sustainability and growth. By investing in the well-being of employees and creating a supportive environment, organizations can build a loyal, high-performing workforce that drives sustained success and growth.
Trauma-informed systems change is so much more than just training. It involves a collective effort to shift company cultures that are no longer serving us--and to consistently move towards a future that we co-create together. Because the framework acknowledges that this work is not a checklist, we are able to build capacity and sustainability in our client's organizations for years to come, long after they need our support.
Trauma-informed systems change is an effort that pays off--for organizations and for individuals.
Final Thoughts: How to Launch a Trauma-Informed Implementation Program
Adopting a trauma-informed culture change is not just a compassionate choice; it's a smart one. The benefits of trauma-informed change prove how this approach can lead to healthier, more productive, and resilient organizations. By prioritizing the well-being of employees and creating supportive environments, organizations can unlock their full potential and achieve lasting success.
At Chefalo Consulting, we specialize in helping organizations implement trauma-informed systems change. Whether you're working with teams of 10 to 10,000, our proven approach is sure to make an impact.
Want to learn more about our trauma-informed implementation programs? Go to our services page.
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