Training plays a crucial role in nearly every change management strategy, especially when implementing trauma-informed practices. This article explores the strengths and limitations of training in advancing change efforts and building a trauma-informed culture.
Say you’re making big changes at your company or organization. Your leadership team is ushering in a new technology or changing the organizational structure or implementing new processes that will affect everyone. Or perhaps you want to become a trauma-informed organization and increase performance by building a culture of collaboration and understanding.
Regardless of your change effort, training will play a role in any change management process, as it’s necessary to teach employees what to do differently and how. You want your employees to be knowledgeable and skilled – to have the information and expertise needed to do their jobs in a new way - especially if your goal is to build a more resilient organization.
The Power of Alignment Through Training
Training is defined as teaching skills or knowledge for improving capability and performance. You want to do something better, and someone can teach you how. This is essential in change management. Training for groups works especially well for level-setting – aligning language and ideas about how things are and what needs to happen. Without this alignment, everyone has different assumptions and knowledge which can make change management a grueling process.
Training aligns language and ideas about current practices and future goals, reducing misunderstandings and streamlining the change management process. When everyone in the organization uses the same terminology and understands concepts in the same way, it becomes much easier to communicate effectively about the changes being implemented. This shared language is particularly important in trauma-informed approaches, where a nuanced understanding of terms like "triggers," "resilience," and "secondary trauma" can significantly impact the success of the initiative.
Without proper training, implementing change can feel like playing a game where everyone follows different rules. Training provides a unified playbook, ensuring all team members are working towards the same objectives. This common understanding is crucial in trauma-informed practices, where consistency in approach across all levels of the organization is key to creating a safe and supportive environment.
Benefits of Trauma-Informed Training in Change Management
Your organization will not be able to create, develop, and sustain a trauma-informed culture through training alone. However, training has distinct benefits. Training CAN:
Teach New Skills and Processes
Training is instrumental in imparting new technical skills and management processes necessary for implementing change. In the context of trauma-informed practices, this might include teaching active listening skills, or ways to recognize and address signs of trauma in both you and others. Training provides new tools for participants to address challenges at work.
Signal Organizational Values
By investing in training, leadership demonstrates that they value continuous learning and employee development. This investment sends a powerful message about the organization's commitment to growth and improvement. In trauma-informed organizations, it also signals a commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and understanding environment for both employees and clients. This visible commitment can boost morale and increase buy-in for the change process.
Model Trauma-Informed Behaviors
Training provides a safe environment for employees to practice and internalize trauma-informed behaviors. Role-playing exercises, case studies, and interactive workshops allow employees to experiment with new approaches and receive feedback in a low-stakes setting. By intentionally creating a safe space, skilled trauma-informed training gives participants a feel of the future where trauma-informed principles are in play. Working together in a trauma-informed environment feels great, motivating participants to extend these skills into the workplace.
Limitations of Training in Change Management
Be sure to include other approaches to your change management process. Here is where training alone falls short. Training CAN’T:
Sustain Excitement and Engagement
While training can cause a surge in energy around a larger initiative, it cannot guarantee sustained engagement around a larger systems change project. The initial enthusiasm generated by a training session tends to wane over time, especially if employees don't apply what they've learned in their daily work. Lack of leadership involvement also tends to send the message that the organization “says one thing and does another,” which is another common roadblock to sustained motivation for change. Organizations need to supplement training with ongoing support, reinforcement, and opportunities for application to maintain momentum.
Guarantee Implementation
Training alone cannot ensure that employees will consistently apply what they've learned in their day-to-day work. The gap between knowing and doing can be significant, especially when old habits are deeply ingrained. Organizations need to create systems and processes that support and reinforce the application of new skills and knowledge in the workplace. Applying the tools and skills learned in training often happens at varying rates. Some participants may apply new insights from training right away, and others may not. Safely holding each other accountable happens after training.
Achieve Culture Change
A single training session or even a series of training sessions is insufficient to convince employees or sustain long-term change. Trauma-informed practices require ongoing reinforcement, reflection, and adjustment. Organizations should view training as part of a continuous learning process rather than a one-time event. Regular refresher courses, ongoing supervision, and opportunities for peer learning can help sustain the impact of initial training efforts.
Replace Leadership Buy-In
Training cannot replace the need for strong leadership support and buy-in for change initiatives. If leaders don't model trauma-informed practices or provide the necessary resources and support for implementation, even the best training program will have a limited impact. Leadership must be visibly committed to the change process and actively participate in creating a trauma-informed culture.
Reduce Resistance to Change
While training can provide information, it may not effectively reduce resistance to change on its own. Resistance often stems from deeper issues such as fear of the unknown, perceived threats to job security, or skepticism about the benefits of the change. Addressing resistance requires a multi-faceted approach that includes clear communication, opportunities for feedback, and strategies to address individual concerns.
The Role of Leadership in Building Trust
One critical component of a successful trauma-informed change process is TRUST. If you are embarking on a trauma-informed implementation project at your organization, trust may be at a minimum. Trauma-informed culture change will address this naturally, though leaders can increase trust through consistent communication, casting a vision, and following through over time.
Understanding why change is happening, in life or at work, can be the difference between cooperation and resistance. Change is uncomfortable and most people don’t like it, so when asking your team to endure discomfort for (what may seem to them) no good reason, struggles ensue. Further, applying new concepts and shifting behavior at work feels risky. Without trust, the benefits of training fall flat.
Leaders must communicate clearly and often why change is so important. Leaders must also demonstrate their commitment to the change by working through the same discomfort. This will build trust and fuel your change efforts.
Final Thoughts: Build Stronger Workplace Culture through Sustained Change & Trauma-Informed Training
Training is a vital component of trauma-informed change management, offering numerous benefits such as creating shared understanding, teaching new skills, and providing a safe space for practice. However, it's important to recognize its limitations. Training should be part of a comprehensive change management strategy that includes leadership buy-in, ongoing support, and mechanisms for sustaining change over time.
Integrate training into a broader cultural shift towards trauma-informed practice by understanding what training can and can’t do for you. By understanding what training can (and can’t) accomplish, organizations can create lasting change that benefits both employees and those they serve.
If you think a trauma-informed change implementation program is right for your agency, connect with our team to learn more.
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