From Burnout to Breakthrough: How JTC Builds Trauma-Informed Workplaces That Retain Top Talent
How JTC helps companies increase retention, improve morale, and achieve stronger results.
Over the last two years, JT Consulting has enabled organizations and companies to foster trauma-informed workplaces. But what is a trauma-informed workplace, and how can it improve not only the work environment but also the ability to achieve stronger outcomes? Today, I will offer insights into these questions and demonstrate how a partnership with JTC can increase longevity, productivity, and innovation.
Why it matters:
Can you imagine a time in your career where something in your personal life made it difficult to be present at work? Every organization we’ve partnered with — schools, non-profits, corporate institutions — has employees who are currently experiencing significant life events. I’ve met with employees who are going through divorces, grieving a loved one, or taking on full-time care for a family member, and no one at work has any idea. I’ve known colleagues who came to work the day after suffering a miscarriage because they didn’t want to use their sick time, and no one knew they had experienced this loss. I think back on my sweet husband, who had started a new job just three months before our daughter was born, 9 weeks premature. After her birth he wanted to save his four weeks of parental leave for when she was released from the hospital, so he showed up to work every day after dropping me at the hospital, meeting with new colleagues who had no idea that when he left work in the evening, he would return to the NICU for the slight chance he would get to hold his daughter just once that day.
Some people will try to say that only work belongs at work, but I don’t know anyone capable of leaving grief at the door. When employees don’t feel safe to share what they are experiencing, their trauma is still coming with them into every meeting, every email, every interaction with clients and customers. They may be using work as a way to numb, but numbing isn’t something we can do selectively- we are more likely to make mistakes, say or do something hurtful, and struggle to be attentive because we aren’t present. We may need to work, but with a supportive workplace, we can better balance our job and personal needs.
What it is- and what it isn’t:
A trauma-informed workplace is not a place where every employee must share their trauma histories. We do not train supervisors and human resource teams to become trauma detectives, nor do we encourage employees to blur the lines between colleague and therapist- quite the opposite, in fact. A trauma-informed workplace is where every employee can share their lived experiences and how those experiences may impact their work. We focus on three key areas: connection, consistency, and predictability. We provide tangible strategies and skill development to foster meaningful connections, allowing colleagues to feel valued for who they are, not just for what they produce. Predictability in the workplace means that employees know what is expected of them and what they can expect of their supervisors and their teams. Consistency is how we show up in the spaces we share, and here we do a deep dive into the importance of boundaries and how they can help foster trust, rather than distance.
When we train leaders on trauma-informed management, we distinguish between creating an environment where employees feel cared about, which is different than setting an expectation with a colleague that we can take care of them in ways that are beyond our scope. We can make a meaningful impact on an employee’s life by showing support in the role we have. As a supervisor, when an employee disclosed that they were experiencing something impactful, it allowed me to collaborate with them and make accommodations that met both their needs and the team's objectives.
As leaders, we must provide opportunities for growth and autonomy, which means encouraging questions, trying new approaches, and making mistakes. A trauma-informed work environment enables employees to stay in a learning mindset, and provides ongoing direct and compassionate feedback from managers to employees and employees to their managers.
What makes it possible?
Too often, I hear from distraught clients that they were unaware of concerns until an employee’s exit interview- problems that could have been addressed to retain the employee. It’s not enough to tell employees that the organization values feedback. We have to make meaningful feedback and honest communication possible, and that requires trust.
When cultivating a new client or donor, we take the time to research and learn about them. When organizations operate from a scarcity mindset —trying to do too much with too few people or resources —we can rush or even skip over this same process with our employees. By taking the time to not only onboard employees to the organization but also to learn about and from them, we can demonstrate our investment in their success and growth. We can set the foundation for ongoing and consistent feedback, and we can tailor our delivery to make it most effective. When we show our commitment rather than just say it, we are more likely to establish trust. When we are invested in the success of our employees, they become most invested in the success of the organization. We see an increase in retention, innovation, collaboration, and leadership.
Want to learn more about partnering with JTC to support your organization’s growth? Reach out today! Want to experience the training first-hand? You don’t have to wait! You can take our online course, “Creating Trauma-Informed Workplaces.”
