Organizational Trauma Coaching
Organizational Trauma
There’s a type of trauma that is rampant but not discussed or talked about. It’s Organizational Trauma. Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in organizational restructuring to include layoffs, terminating employees, a lack of trust and empathy from the leadership, people feeling powerless due to organizational policies, and even at times, disregarding the safety and overall being of employees.
What exactly is organizational trauma and how do you know your team or company has been impacted? When most people think of trauma, the last place they think trauma would occur would be at their workplace. Unfortunately, this type of trauma is often not discussed or understood. The following are examples of organizational trauma:
- Single events such as workplace violence or incident
- Unexpected death of a colleague
- Sudden departure of a longtime leader
- Bullying
- Sexual harassment
- Microaggressions
- Discrimination due to a disability, sexism, race, sexual orientation, and gender Toxic bosses and co-workers
- Verbal and emotional abuse from leadership or colleague
The above are just a few examples but there can be much more. Many times, it’s the small things that are not overt, subtle, and the small comments and actions that makes a person question if they are overacting, imagining it, or just too “sensitive.”
When there has been abuse and trauma in the workplace, a person may start exhibiting the following symptoms either at work or in the privacy of their home:
- Emotional distress
- Changes in behavior
- Difficulty sleeping
- Changes in appetite
- Self-isolation
- Avoiding certain situations, places, or people
- Changes in work performance
- Calling in sick and using up more personal time paid off (PTO)
- Unexplained physical health ailments
- Quick to anger and irritability
Organizational trauma does not only impact a person’s work performance but it also impacts their personal life. A person can only try to separate both for so long before the emotional burdens of the workplace is brought home and it starts impacting all areas of a person’s life.
If your company or team has gone through major company transitions, downsizing, lay offs, letting go of long term senior leaders, you may not realize how all of this impacts the wellbeing of your employees and how they are coping with all of these losses. It is essential that your employees and team members be encouraged to discuss these traumatic sudden losses and how they are emotionally working through these events and how these events are impacting their work.
As a company, allowing your employees to grieve, process, and be empathetic will demonstrate to them that you care. One of the biggest objections from employees regarding their employers is their inability to demonstrate kindness and empathy in difficult times. Words are cheap; if you truly value your employees, it’s time to stop talking and start walking and actually do something about it. Your team doesn’t have to suffer anymore.
Contact Poiab To Help Your Team Start Healing!
