Supporting your people with trauma-informed practices
In an era where workplace mental health has become increasingly paramount, organisations are recognising the critical need to adopt trauma-informed approaches to support their workforce. With research by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022) indicating that 75% of Australian adults have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, the implementation of trauma-informed practices has become not just beneficial, but essential for modern workplace wellbeing.
In response to these escalating demands, and recognising the potential impact on employee wellbeing, the Qantas Group partnered with Transitioning Well to deliver a masterclass and training on trauma-informed practices.
The organisation took a proactive approach to safeguard their employees' mental health, focusing particularly on protecting staff from trauma exposure and other psychological hazards in the workplace.
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
- We partnered with Qantas Group in July 2024 to deliver specialised trauma-informed practice training addressing the critical need for workplace mental health support
- Delivered comprehensive training focused on trauma response recognition, prevention of re-traumatisation, and implementation of six core trauma-informed principles, reaching high employee engagement with 98% reporting improved understanding
- Achieved high results with 96% of participants indicating they would apply learned strategies in their work, and another 96% finding the workshop practical and easily applicable
- Successfully equipped leaders and staff with tools for creating psychologically safe environments, managing trauma exposure, and implementing proper support protocols, resulting in high satisfaction scores of 4.6/5 for Foundation and 4.7/5 for Masterclass workshops
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Understanding trauma in a workplace context
Many organisations are unaware that workplace experiences can constitute trauma, particularly when considering that trauma results from "an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful... and has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning" (SAMHSA, 2014). This understanding becomes especially critical in developing trauma-informed workplaces that promote safety and support.
Given the high number of people impacted by trauma discussed above, workers may therefore already have a history of trauma, making it essential for organisations to recognise that trauma affects people differently and that each person is doing the best they can with the resources they have.
“Recognise that trauma is unique to the individual who experiences it. Two people can experience the same traumatic event – one might experience what we could call ‘appropriate distress’ while the other might develop a traumatic response. There are a number of factors that influence different responses, but it’s worth remembering that social support is always protective when people have these experiences.”
What We Did
In July 2024, Qantas partnered with Transitioning Well to deliver a Foundation Masterclass series.
This specialised training was designed to help Qantas employees understand why trauma-informed practice is a business imperative, and how to support others who have been victims of critical incidents and crisis situations.
To achieve this, the Foundation workshop delivered interactive education and strategies on:
• Common responses and recovery trajectories of individuals
• Principles of trauma-informed care
• How to avoid re-traumatisation
• Support points for distressed individuals
• Self-care and connection
The Masterclass workshop built upon these learnings by further providing insights into:
• How traumatic incidents are encoded and stored in the brain
• Methods of safely conducting trauma-related conversations
• The risk of vicarious trauma, how to notice the signs and how to manage wellbeing
The Transitioning Well difference
Transitioning Well's workshops equip organisations with essential knowledge and practical strategies for creating psychologically safe workplaces.
At its core, our training establishes that while trauma exposure is common, responses vary significantly between individuals, and not all traumatic events lead to lasting mental health impacts. The workshop helps participants recognise the distinction between normal stress reactions and trauma responses across emotional, physical, and cognitive domains, while emphasising the importance of stepping up support particularly if distress persists beyond one month.
The workshop emphasises that certain groups may face higher exposure to trauma and may carry previous trauma impacts. These include people experiencing homelessness, refugees, First Nations people, LGBTIQA+ individuals, and emergency services workers. To address these varied needs, the training establishes six core principles of trauma-informed practice including: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and respect for diversity (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2021). These principles guide the creation of supportive environments where people can access various pathways of support.
Results
98% of participants have a good understanding about what it means to be trauma-informed at work
Results
96% of participants intend on applying a strategy or tool that was covered in the session
Results
96% of participants found the workshop practical and the ideas easy to apply
A New Approach To Protecting Employees in the Workplace
Transitioning Well takes a holistic approach to supporting employees in the workplace. This includes offering evidence-based programs and interventions tailored to the unique needs of each participant.
ORGANISATIONS
- Set clear boundaries with clients/customers about acceptable behaviour
- Empower employees to disengage from threatening situations
- Provide de-escalation training
- Create physical environments that prioritise employee safety
- Effectively identify, assess and control psychosocial hazards such as exposure to distressing events or content
LEADERS
- Recognise signs of trauma exposure in their teams
- Understand that trauma affects people differently
- Create psychologically safe environments where employees feel supported
- Ensure adequate controls are in place to mitigate psychosocial hazards within the team, such as exposure to distressing events or content
- Implement appropriate reporting and response protocols for aggressive incidents and challenging clients/customers
INDIVIDUALS
- Understand that stress responses (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) are normal reactions to abnormal situations.
- Learn to Recognise and manage their own stress reactions.
- Access appropriate mental health resources and any additional support provided by their organisation
- Develop a range of self-care practices to protect their wellbeing, particularly noting the cumulative impact of trauma.
Workshop Feedback
As shown below, the overall level of satisfaction with the training was extremely high, with an average score of 4.6 out of 5 (Foundation) and 4.7 out of 5 (Masterclass). These high satisfaction ratings are also reflected in the comments provided by workshop attendees.
Support In Your Workplace
Our national team of psychologists bring evidence-based approaches and tailored tactics to the table, which allows us to support your people at this import
ant the intersection where work meets life.
By understanding that trauma affects people differently and implementing comprehensive support systems, organisations can better protect their employees’ mental health and wellbeing.
The investment in trauma-informed practices isn’t just about meeting duty of care obligations or, in other words, ticking a box. Mentally healthy workplaces allow people to bring their whole selves to work and be valued for who they are, even in the face of increasingly complex interactions.
To find out more about how Transitioning Well can help your organisation, contact us to learn more.