How to Have a Trauma-Informed Business in 3 Steps
A co-worker snaps at you in a way that seems out-of-character. A curmudgeon (and a regular customer to your cafe) stiffs you, again. A complaining “Karen” leave a poor review for your services. How do people get to this point around me? How do I respond?
We all have good and bad days, but our responses and reactions to our world have everything to do with our DNA and experiences. For example, I love to travel. However, I’ve “lost” my luggage more times than I can count. It’s been so pervasive, that I believed a dark cloud followed me and my luggage for years. ;) As a result, I almost never check a bag anymore. Others may think me overly cautious, but, in my mind, I’m just trying to ensure access to my stuff.
Although losing luggage doesn’t typically qualify as trauma, I invite you to try managing two boys under 3 with no car seats, pack n play, or formula. It’s a simple example of how a negative experience can shape future behaviors. Now, think about this: do you see people with carry-on baggage and think: “What a hassle! Just check a bag and be done with it!” Or, as you’ve heard my story, maybe you’ve developed some understanding into my decisions — some empathy, even?
This understanding and empathy comes from a care for people-not-as-robots, but instead humans-as-we-actually-exist. Trauma is a thing. Awareness of how it impacts us is vital to good business, and good relationships.
With that, let’s dive into 3 steps to having a trauma-informed business:
1. Get trained.
Becoming a trauma-informed company doesn’t happen magically. Find an organization like ours, that gets this. James Trail provides trainings and workshops that adapt to your business schedule and culture. Quick lunch-time conversations about how trauma affects us? Yep, James Trail can facilitate these. 3-day workshops to bring more empathy into your workplace? Check. We are equipped to adjust the workshop content to your available timeframe. We represent decades of experience with this topic, and we are ready to serve you.
2. Get content.
Having a regular flow of trauma-informed content into your business keeps the conversations going. We are experts in the content, but your people are the experts in their lives as they live them. It’s important to form community (see below) around the importance of patience and empathy for one another. Solid content is the best way to keep this in the flow. James Trail (as well as other sources - check out our Resources) gets this, and we provide up-to-date content in all the forms you want to receive it: blogs, podcasts, social media, and email. Listen to podcasts on your commute. Read blogs on your morning break. And then show up at water cooler with a mind ready to engage others in conversations…better equipped with content.
3. Create community.
Your business is a place of deep culture. Those on the inside know this. It’s not something we talk about, it’s just some thing we react to, and create within. Is your company eco-sustainable? Is the leadership approachable? Is there room for advancement? Do most employees work in-office or remotely? All these factors contribute to the business culture. Yet, one of the most overlooked aspects of company-culture is community. Do both employees and customers feel a sense of belonging? Are relationships strong enough to denounce gossip and not suffer for it? Is there patience between people enough for “bad days?”
Understanding how hard things affect us and those around us leads to better peace with our world. Businesses which are harbors for peace to their employees have better outcomes overall: less recidivism, a stronger bottom-line, and a deeper connection with what’s relevant in this post-2020 world.
We might not be able to meet all the expectations of the grumpy people in our world. We might even struggle from time to time to NOT be the ones who are irritable. Yet, we can decide to shape the business world in understanding hard things, and getting smarter about how we can fight their impact together.
