Dr Glenn Mason, Head of Adult Psychological Therapies & Consultant Counselling Psychologist, and Sarah Carter, Head of Account Management at Onebright, explore how unseen trauma can quietly impact employee wellbeing, performance, and engagement, and why trauma-informed leadership is becoming essential for building safer, more resilient teams.
When we think about mental health at work, our minds often turn to stress, anxiety, or depression. Yet for many people, trauma sits quietly beneath the surface, shaping how they think, feel and function long after the event itself.
Trauma can emerge from experiences both inside and outside the workplace, for example a traumatic bereavement, an accident, witnessing something distressing, or being exposed to direct violence or threat. Sometimes, the workplace itself can be the setting for a traumatic event.
As clinicians and workplace wellbeing specialists, we see the difference a trauma-informed approach can make, when this is implemented by an organisation. For employees, it can support their recovery journey and supports a greater sense of safety. In organisations, it builds trust, resilience, and retention.
We wanted to share what trauma really means, how it shows up at work, and what employers can do to help people heal.
The key signs and symptoms
At its core, trauma is the mind and body’s response to an event that overwhelms our ability to cope. It’s not only the event itself that matters, but how the individual experiences it. Two people can go through the same situation and have very different responses. One may recover quickly, while another may develop symptoms of depression or anxiety, or even PTSD.
Trauma impacts the mind and body, and unprocessed trauma memories can maintain an ongoing sense of threat. When we go through a traumatic experience, particularly if it was a threat-based trauma, this can leave someone feeling more on edge, experiencing increased hyperarousal. This can result in experiencing increased heart rate, disturbed sleep, and impact concentration when we are reminded of the trauma. People may seem distracted, irritable, or withdrawn. To others, it can look like they’re coping, but internally they’re fighting to feel safe again.
An employee who’s suddenly avoiding certain colleagues or areas of the workplace may be unconsciously steering away from reminders of a traumatic event. Another might overwork, believing that keeping busy will hold intrusive memories at bay. These behaviours are protective, but they also keep the traumatic experience unprocessed due to avoidance and distraction.
A real-life workplace scenario
One example we often use in training is based on a real-life scenario.
Imagine a colleague, Rachel, who collapses at work and tragically does not survive. Two employees, Sally and John, perform CPR. Both are deeply affected but respond differently. After the event Sally experiences flashbacks, vivid replays of the event, and later blames herself for not doing more. John, on the other hand, feels sadness and shock but seems able to return to routine more quickly.
Neither reaction is wrong. Trauma responses are shaped by many factors including personality, previous experiences, support systems, and the meaning attached to the event. Employers and managers can support people on their recovery journey, by responding with compassion and curiosity, asking “how can I support you” rather than “what happened”, it can make all the difference.
From an organisational perspective, trauma-informed leadership is about recognising that we cannot always see what people are carrying. It’s about creating a culture where individuals feel psychologically safe to say “I’m struggling” without fear of being judged or penalised.
Similarly to outside the office, trauma in the workplace can present in many forms, for example:
- Changes in attendance, concentration, or mood
- Difficulties trusting others
- An increased sensitivity to stress
When managers understand that these behaviours may stem from a trauma response rather than disengagement or poor performance, they can respond far more effectively.
Trauma-informed leadership doesn’t require clinical training. It’s about empathy, flexibility, and communication, and simple adjustments can have a profound impact.
Offering flexible working hours, creating quiet spaces, or temporarily adjusting responsibilities can help an employee regain a sense of control, which is essential to recovery.
Managers don’t need to be therapists, but they do have to listen
What’s equally important is avoiding over-inquiry. Managers often want to understand what happened, but asking someone to relive the details of a traumatic experience can be counter-productive. Instead of gathering information, the goal is to ensure support. An effective question you can ask is, “What do you need right now to feel safe and supported at work?”
Providing access to appropriate professional help through Employee Assistance Programmes, counselling, or trauma-focused therapy should be part of every wellbeing strategy.
Early intervention matters, and the longer trauma responses go unrecognised, the more they can become entrenched, leading to longer absences, burnout, or secondary mental health difficulties.
We also know that how leaders behave sets the tone for everyone else. When senior teams model openness and compassion, it encourages employees to seek help sooner. This isn’t just good ethics, it’s good business. Teams built on trust and care are more resilient and loyal.
Creating safety and compassion at work
Trauma will touch every organisation at some point, whether through individual experiences or shared events that impact an entire team, and how an organisation responds in those moments defines its culture.
A trauma-aware workplace is one where people feel seen, heard, and supported without having to explain everything. It’s a place where flexibility replaces rigidity, and where “How can we help?” replaces “What went wrong?”.
For employers and HR leaders, the most effective starting point is awareness. Train managers to recognise the signs of distress, ensure policies allow for compassionate leave and flexibility, and create clear pathways to professional support.
Encourage teams to check in with one another, not just about work, but about wellbeing. Small acts of kindness and understanding can be transformative.
From a clinical perspective, trauma recovery thrives in environments of consistency and care. When someone knows they’re believed, that their feelings are valid, and that they have space to recover, their nervous system can begin to regulate again, and unprocessed trauma memories become processed. This is where workplaces can play a vital role not by fixing people, but by walking alongside them as they heal.
The key message is that trauma isn’t rare, and recovery isn’t only the job of the therapist. Every manager, every colleague, and every leader has a part to play in creating workplaces where people feel safe enough to rebuild, and reclaim their life following a traumatic experience.