Employee Engagement
Trauma-informed organizations are built on the foundation of an engaged and healthy workforce, with strong leadership at the helm. This foundation is critical, particularly during periods of uncertainty or acute crisis. Creating and sustaining a trauma-informed organization requires a comprehensive, organization-wide commitment, detailed planning, training, and investment in both time and resources.
This guide outlines key strategies to strengthen your workforce and build a trauma-informed organization, based on both successes and challenges observed in practice. The transformation process involves a holistic approach, grounded in supporting employees and fostering leadership engagement.
Three Strategies
Three Strategies for Strengthening Your Workforce:
- Ensure Leaders Are Fully Engaged
- Support Employees’ Health and Well-Being
- Engage Employees at Every Level
By implementing these strategies, organizations can align with the six guiding principles of trauma-informed work, as described by Alameda County. These principles include understanding trauma, promoting safety and stability, demonstrating cultural humility and responsiveness, cultivating compassion and dependability, prioritizing collaboration and empowerment, and fostering resilience and recovery.
Below, we break down these strategies for practical implementation.
Engage Your Leaders
Engaged Leadership as the Foundation
Leaders play a critical role in fostering a trauma-informed environment. Fully engaged leaders prioritize a core belief in caring for their teams, moving beyond mere actions or words to demonstrate a commitment to their employees’ overall well-being. Maya Angelou’s adage captures this sentiment well: “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did; they will remember how you made them feel.”
Key behaviors of engaged leaders include:
- Proactive Problem-Solving: Leaders focus on solutions and outcomes rather than obstacles.
- Empowering Teams: By actively encouraging dialogue, empowering employees, and developing their skills, leaders can inspire confidence and collaboration.
- Managing Calmly in Crisis: During uncertain times, leaders must remain calm and informed. For example, staying up to date with trusted sources like the CDC for pandemic-related issues ensures leaders can share accurate information. Calm communication fosters trust, which is essential in guiding employees through challenges.
Equally important is trusting employees. High-performance workplaces prioritize outcomes over rigid schedules and trust their teams to manage responsibilities effectively. Providing this level of trust inspires productivity and encourages a healthier work-life balance, benefiting both individual employees and the organization.
Promoting Health and Well-Being for Teams and Leaders
Healthy organizations start with healthy leaders who model effective self-care. Strong leadership isn’t about long hours or burnout—it’s about consistently prioritizing physical and mental health. Simple habits can set the tone for an organization-wide wellness culture.
Practical Approaches to Encouraging Wellness:
- Begin with small, incremental changes or “tiny habits” toward healthier behaviors. Books like Tiny Habits can serve as excellent resources.
- Introduce on-site wellness initiatives like lunchtime meditation sessions or after-hours fitness classes (e.g., yoga or Zumba).
- Replace office snacks such as pastries with healthier options like fresh fruit.
- Schedule walking meetings or encourage short, active breaks during the workday.
- Offer employees gym memberships or wellness stipends.
When employees see leaders prioritize health, they are more likely to adopt these practices as well. Together, this creates a resilient and engaged workforce.
Enhancing Employee Engagement At Every Level
Engaged employees are passionate about their roles, deeply connected to their organization’s mission, and willing to go above and beyond in their performance. According to research conducted by Gallup, organizations with highly engaged workforces experience lower absenteeism, decreased turnover, and higher levels of both productivity and profitability. For non-profits, employee engagement translates to improved client outcomes and stronger organizational impact.
Key Approaches to Foster Engagement:
- Set Clear Expectations: Outline responsibilities and define what success looks like for each role. Focus on results rather than overly prescriptive directions.
- Provide Proper Resources: Ensure employees have the tools they need to succeed—such as technology for remote work—especially in resource-limited settings. Investing in resources often costs less than replacing valued staff members.
- Leverage Strengths: Identify individual strengths within your team and offer opportunities to utilize these talents. Tools like CliftonStrengths or Values in Action surveys can provide deeper insights into employees’ capabilities.
- Recognition and Feedback: Offer meaningful recognition that highlights specific achievements and connects them to organizational goals.
- Foster Relationships: Although organizations cannot create friendships, they can facilitate connections through collaborative projects and shared goals.
Engaged employees thrive when they see a clear link between their daily tasks and the organization’s broader mission. Leaders can reinforce this connection through regular communication, sharing stories of impact, and ensuring employees feel valued for their contributions.
Building Trauma Informed Organizations Through Empowerment
At the heart of trauma-informed care lies empowerment—for both clients and employees. Empowering employees starts with listening to their perspectives, even when they differ from leadership directives. Soliciting feedback, engaging in authentic conversations, and acting on employee input fosters inclusion and trust.
Non-profit organizations, in particular, face disproportionate challenges in driving employee engagement, often due to the disconnect employees feel between their daily tasks and the mission of the organization. Reinforcing this connection consistently and collaboratively is critical in overcoming these challenges.
Actionable Steps to Foster Engagement and Empowerment:
- Health and Wellness Plans: Implement strategies like Eat, Move, Sleep or encourage healthy work-life balances through structured wellness programs.
- Support Leadership Development: Invest in leadership engagement strategies, using resources from sources like Harvard Business Review.
- Utilize Gallup’s Research: Leverage Gallup’s insights and tools, such as the Q12 engagement survey, to assess and enhance employee satisfaction.
- Encourage Development Opportunities: Offer employees chances to lead projects, attend conferences, or participate in regional networking events.
By integrating these strategies, organizations can develop a holistic, trauma-informed approach that empowers teams and aligns their work with the organization’s broader mission.
A Call to Action: Continued Engagement
Trauma-informed organizations thrive on the foundation of healthy, engaged leaders and employees. By adopting these strategies, you can create a culture that not only supports its staff but also delivers impactful outcomes for the communities it serves.
If you’re ready to build a more engaged workforce or need guidance on implementing trauma-informed principles, schedule a free consultation through Sunshine Nonprofit Solutions. Together, we can create an environment where your team and mission can truly flourish.
Dr. Cathleen Armstead brings over 25 years of experience in nonprofit organizations and Head Start programs, with a strong academic foundation in family services and early childhood development. A passionate advocate for social and economic justice, she has excelled in leadership roles, including serving as a director for various Head Start organizations. With an impressive 88% success rate in grant writing and a 100% success rate with DRS grant proposals, Dr. Armstead has earned recognition as a skilled strategist and grant writer. She founded Sunshine Nonprofit Solutions to provide nonprofits with tailored support, encompassing grant funding, strategic planning, leadership development, and board training. A seasoned speaker and trainer, she presents regularly at Region IV conferences and has contributed to academia as a grant evaluator at the University of Miami’s School of Education. Currently, she is working on a nonprofit leadership guide, continuing her mission to empower organizations and foster positive change.