Embracing Trauma-Informed Care in the Workplace and Its Impact on Acquisitions

Trauma-informed care is an essential framework for a supportive and resilient workplace in today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape. This approach involves creating policies, practices, and a culture that not only recognizes the impact of trauma but also actively seeks to avoid re-traumatizing individuals. Trauma-informed care can inspire and motivate leaders and employees by promoting physical, emotional, and psychological safety, trust, and empowerment.

While many people associate the word “trauma” with events such as death or witnessing a horrific incident, trauma is, in fact, a severe emotional response to a distressing or disturbing event. It is not just about the event itself but about how the person experiences and internalizes it. If a person’s sense of identity, stability, or belonging is threatened, this can feel like trauma.

The Role of Trauma-Informed Care in Acquisitions: Why it Matters
Acquisitions are often complex and stressful processes that can significantly impact employees’ well-being. Integrating trauma-informed care into handling and approaching acquisitions can transform these experiences, making them safer and more productive. Leadership plays a pivotal role in this transformation. Leaders can reshape how these processes are perceived by handling acquisitions with awareness, empathy, and transparency.

Understanding the Employee Experience
During acquisitions, employees may experience:

• Relational Trauma: Loss of community and connections.
• Identity Trauma: Loss of role or purpose.
• Job Insecurity: Cultural shifts, loss of trusted leadership, role changes, layoffs, and uncertainty about the future.
  • Symptoms: Anxiety, distrust, burnout, hypervigilance.

Leadership may reassure employees that “nothing is changing,” but the reality is that the occurrence of an acquisition signals sudden unpredictability. It is reasonable for staff members to wonder, “If this has changed so quickly, what else can change?” These feelings can manifest as mistrust towards leadership, and while this mistrust may be perceived rather than absolute, it can feel like betrayal. For many people, work can feel like “home,” and any disruption can shake the foundation of their daily routine or personal and professional identity. These feelings can create a domino effect across teams and cultures if they are left unresolved.

Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Care in Acquisitions

• Recognizing Trauma: It is crucial to understand that fear, grief, and anxiety are normal reactions to change rather than resistance. This empathetic understanding provides a sense of relief to employees, making them feel understood and valued in a supportive environment.
• Prioritizing Psychological Safety: Honest and two-way communication is essential. Providing time to process changes and offering clarity can help employees navigate transitions more smoothly. Creating space for processing emotions without judgment fosters a sense of safety.
• Empowering Employees: Giving employees choices about their roles, participation in focus groups or transition teams, and providing support whenever possible enhances their sense of agency and control and empowers them in their transition process.
• Building Trust Through Transparency: Transparent communication builds trust and reduces uncertainty, making employees feel more secure during acquisitions.
• Providing Trauma-Sensitive Support: Access to support groups, counseling, peer support, additional time off, and supervisor training on handling staff responses can mitigate the impact of trauma.
• Addressing Grief: Focusing on addressing grief rather than solely on productivity acknowledges the emotional toll of acquisitions and supports employees in their healing process, making them feel supported and cared for.

Benefits of Trauma-Informed Care
Implementing trauma-informed care ultimately builds resilience, loyalty, and trust within the organization. Employees who feel supported are more likely to remain committed and productive, even during challenging times.

Integrating with the Change Management Plan
To effectively integrate trauma-informed care into acquisitions, developing a comprehensive change management plan is essential. Reinforce the work in the change management plans, determine the effectiveness of the work, and transition the change initiative to the business: Foster safety, trust, and collaboration in each step of your plan. Trauma-informed care is not just a compassionate approach but a strategic imperative. By addressing the impact of trauma, organizations can create environments that foster safety, trust, and empowerment. This forward-thinking approach can enhance how acquisitions are handled, leading to more positive outcomes for employees and the organization. When creating your change management plan, take time to investigate trauma-informed care and the benefits it can offer your employees. Your team, and your future, will be stronger for it.