The importance of a trauma-informed workplace

This guest blog by Benaifer Bhandari, Chief Executive of Hopscotch Women’s Centre, discusses working with all stakeholders in a trauma informed way to make sure there is justice in their processes. Benaifer will be speaking at our upcoming annual conference in October, for the opportunity hear more from Benaifer, book your ticket to NPC Ignites.

Plymouth Council has done remarkable work embedding trauma-informed practice. Their description of the practice is as follows:

‘Trauma-Informed Practice is a strengths-based approach, which seeks to understand and respond to the impact of trauma on people’s lives. The approach emphasises physical, psychological, and emotional safety for everyone and aims to empower individuals to re-establish control of their lives.’

Each leader has their own set of values that they bring to their role, organisation and sector.

These values are based on years of experience of what works. They are also based on who we are as people—our nature, personality, and learning style.

An overarching value for me has been to work with all stakeholders in a trauma informed way to make sure there is justice in our processes.

This didn’t happen overnight. I’ve been in the women’s sector since 1998 and it wasn’t until:

• 2000 when I started to figure out what trauma-informed practice looked like and start to fit that into they way I thought and held family relationships.
• 2013 when I started to consciously lead in a trauma informed way, and developed my passion for this topic.
• 2017 when it really became core to my leadership practice.

Since then, I have found myself speaking about the value of trauma-informed approaches a lot. I started bringing the practice to the boards I was on, moving on to chairing Camden and Islington Trauma Informed Network and delivering training to organisations on the efficacy of Trauma Informed Practice in the Workplace.

Observations from taking a trauma-informed approach

As Chief Exec of Hopscotch Women’s Centre, I’ve noted that team members, when they have rapport and trust with me, have spoken extensively about experiencing workplace trauma in previous roles. About 20% of the team have spoken explicitly about this. A much higher number have hinted at it. It is worrying, especially as we do not always have appropriate language, or even enough language, about this type of trauma.

I hear many leaders talk about how this practice doesn’t always work. That there are situations when you just need to be direct and firm. My own experience is that what these situations really require is the investment of more time. Are we willing to devote more time when our calendars are already packed?

I persevere because I like the outcome where conflict can be resolved through a trauma-informed approach, often by enabling the person you’re in conflict with to realise for themselves what’s the best solution for everyone.

I’ve also noted that while it can seem like a big undertaking, the changes needed to promote justice through a trauma informed workplace are often very small: a tweak in policy vocabulary and practices, upping compassion and focus.

A trauma-informed approach to recruitment

Trauma-informed approaches often require more time than conventional leadership practice.

For example, take recruitment. A standard recruitment process includes: a simple email invitation to an interview, standard interview, offer letter and contract.

Using a Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and trauma informed lens there are additional steps:

• Contacting every candidate that applies because someone may not be strong at putting down all skills (some just get awkward referencing themselves) and providing an opportunity to elaborate on their CV and cover letter.
• Shortlisting and inviting each candidate for a remote Zoom call to chat further without the intimidation of a face to face meeting, and getting to know each other.
• Performing a second round of shortlisting and inviting those to a more formal interview, on Zoom or in person. I prefer Zoom because it’s easier to see a higher number, to make sure those most nervous get an opportunity to connect again. After the contact above, candidates can feel more comfortable.
• The final interviews are conducted in-person. But crucially this is after rapport has already been built, and hopefully gives all parties a chance to show the best of themselves.

With a slowed down process like this, there is so much space to build relationships. I’ve met some amazing people that I’ve collaborated with later on, even though they didn’t get the role.

Dealing with setbacks when using a trauma-informed approach to deal with conflict

A trauma-informed approach to conflict hasn’t always worked. Sometimes the other person’s anger trumps my desire to converse with empathy and a slow pace.

When my values have been challenged in this way, it has made the words of the doubters spin around me head: ‘nicely, nicely doesn’t always work’, ‘you shouldn’t be so soft’, ‘some people just take advantage of you if you are kind’.

It’s so hard to hold on to my values and principles in these situations. My learning, each time, has always been that I didn’t go far enough—I didn’t maintain contact through the emotions coming at me.

I put measures in place to continue conversations, but when there was resistance, I didn’t insist. And once the energy of the situation de-escalated, I always wished I had pushed forwards for more conversation.

Yet I try to remain curious to the possibilities and challenges of all of my values, and particularly where I am trying to apply the principle of justice through a trauma informed way of leading.