How to Recognise Trauma in the Workplace

Natasha Williams Author

Learn how trauma shows up at work and how to recognise the signs—so you can lead, support, and heal in a healthier workplace culture.

Because burnout, withdrawal, over-functioning and fear aren’t just performance issues—they’re often symptoms of unresolved trauma

We often talk about trauma as something private. Something that lives in the past. Something we’re supposed to heal behind closed doors.

But the truth is: trauma doesn’t stay at home. It walks into the workplace with us every day.

Whether you’re an employee, leader, entrepreneur or HR professional, understanding how trauma shows up at work is essential—not just for performance or productivity, but for wellbeing, retention, and culture.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What trauma actually is (and how it lives in the body)

• How trauma shows up in behaviours, communication, and workplace dynamics

• Common signs of trauma responses at work

• Why traditional HR responses often miss the mark

• How to respond with care, compassion, and strategy

• How to create a trauma-informed workplace culture that supports safety and resilience

Let’s begin with a foundational truth.

What Is Trauma, Really?

Trauma isn’t just about what happened to you. It’s about how your body responded when it didn’t feel safe—and how that response still lives in you today.

Psychological trauma is any experience that overwhelms your capacity to cope. It could result from:

• Acute events (e.g. accidents, loss, violence)

• Ongoing stressors (e.g. racism, bullying, poverty, chronic illness)

• Developmental trauma (e.g. neglect, emotional abuse)

• Systemic or intergenerational trauma (e.g. colonialism, structural inequality)

Trauma isn’t in the event. It’s in the nervous system’s unresolved response.

And when unresolved trauma follows you into the workplace, it can affect how you think, feel, communicate, lead—and work.

Why Trauma Belongs in Workplace Conversations

Historically, work has been treated as a place where people are expected to be “professional”—which is often code for: suppress your emotions, disconnect from your identity, and conform to dominant standards.

But that model is breaking down. And rightly so.

Because:

• The workplace is a relational environment where power, hierarchy, identity, and stress all interact.

• Trauma is relational—and often reactivated in environments where we feel unsafe, judged, unseen, or pressured to overperform.

If you’ve ever felt activated, shut down, triggered, anxious, or hyper-responsible at work, you’re not “too sensitive.” You might be experiencing a trauma response.

And if you’re a manager or colleague witnessing certain patterns in your team, it’s time to widen the lens.

How Trauma Shows Up at Work: The 4 Trauma Responses

Let’s explore the classic nervous system responses—and how they play out in professional settings:

1. Fight (Hyper-Aggression or Defensiveness)

Looks like:

• Over-control, micromanaging, conflict escalation

• Rigid perfectionism

• Intense reactions to feedback or perceived threats

2. Flight (Overworking or Avoidance)

Looks like:

• Workaholism, inability to rest

• Avoiding meetings or difficult conversations

• Constantly jumping to the next task or goal

3. Freeze (Shut Down or Disconnection)

Looks like:

• Zoning out in meetings

• Struggling to prioritise or make decisions

• Feeling overwhelmed, paralysed, or numb

4. Fawn (People Pleasing or Over-accommodating)

Looks like:

• Difficulty saying no

• Taking on too much to avoid disappointing others

• Withholding honest feedback to “keep the peace”

These responses are not personality flaws. They are signs of a nervous system under stress, trying to protect itself.

Trauma in the Workplace: Subtle Signs You Might Be Missing

1. Chronic Burnout or Fatigue

If someone is constantly exhausted, struggling with sleep, or always “on”—they may not be lazy or disengaged. They may be in a prolonged state of hyperarousal.

2. High Turnover or Quiet Quitting

People leaving or disengaging may not be looking for better perks—they might be trying to escape toxic dynamics, poor communication, or lack of psychological safety.

3. Poor Boundary Enforcement

Employees constantly replying to emails outside of hours, taking on extra duties, or struggling to delegate may be experiencing fawn or flight responses.

4. Sudden Drops in Performance

Someone who used to be high-performing but suddenly withdraws or misses deadlines may be in freeze or shutdown. It’s a sign to check in, not write them off.

5. Conflict Avoidance or Escalation

Some teams avoid tension at all costs. Others erupt frequently. Both can be trauma responses: one rooted in fear of confrontation, the other in fight-mode activation.

Why Traditional HR Responses Don’t Work

Unfortunately, many workplace systems are built around policing behaviour, not understanding it.

Standard responses include:

• Performance improvement plans

• Warning letters

• “Resilience” training (without addressing root causes)

• Dismissive messaging: “leave your problems at the door” or “it’s not personal—it’s business”

These approaches:

• Miss the trauma beneath the behaviour

• Reinforce shame and isolation

• Drive down engagement and trust

• Increase turnover and absenteeism

It’s not enough to tell people to “be professional” without acknowledging the very real wounds many of us carry into the workplace.

The Additional Layer: Racial and Structural Trauma at Work

For Black and Brown professionals, the workplace is often a site of re-traumatisation.

This can include:

• Microaggressions and racialised stress

• Being overlooked or underestimated

• Feeling like you must “overperform” to be accepted

• Fear of being labelled “aggressive” or “difficult” for speaking up

• Isolation in predominantly white or non-inclusive environments

These experiences compound existing trauma and create nervous system hypervigilance.

Workplace trauma is not just personal—it’s structural. And any healing conversation must include race, gender, class, and access.

So How Do We Begin to Respond?

Whether you’re an individual or a leader, healing begins with awareness, not judgement.

Here’s how to begin creating trauma-informed awareness in your workplace:

For Individuals

1. Notice Your Patterns

Track your body’s signals: tension, breath changes, irritability, shutdown. These are cues—not flaws.

2. Build in Regulation Routines

Incorporate breathwork, walking breaks, music, stretching, or anything that helps you discharge stress throughout your workday.

3. Reclaim Boundaries

Burnout is often boundary failure. Reassess what’s yours to carry, what you can say no to, and how you can protect your peace without guilt.

4. Name What You’re Feeling

Use journal prompts like:

• What felt activating today and why?

• What do I need more of to feel safe?

• Where am I overperforming to be accepted?

5. Find Trauma-Informed Community

Healing in isolation is hard. Join communities like Heal to Achieve, where trauma isn’t pathologised—it’s understood, held, and transformed.

For Leaders, Managers, and HR Professionals

1. Train in Trauma Awareness

Move beyond “soft skills” and offer real training on trauma responses, racial trauma, and psychological safety.

2. Shift from Performance to People

Start by asking: What might this behaviour be protecting? Instead of jumping to correction, begin with curiosity and care.

3. Rethink Wellness Culture

Are you offering yoga on Wednesdays but expecting 60-hour weeks? Trauma-informed support includes manageable workloads, clarity, and trust—not just perks.

4. Model Vulnerability

Leaders who own their emotions, boundaries, and mistakes create a culture of honesty. That’s real safety.

5. Create Spaces for Story, Not Just Strategy

Offer affinity groups, coaching, or community-based support that allow staff to bring their full selves—not just their productivity.

I Carried My Trauma to Every Job

For years, I couldn’t see it. I thought I was just “anxious,” “too sensitive,” or “bad at boundaries.”

But looking back, I realise: I was carrying trauma into the boardroom. Into client meetings. Into performance reviews.

• I stayed quiet in meetings because I feared being judged.

• I overdelivered to earn validation.

• I accepted toxic dynamics because they felt familiar.

And when I finally started healing, everything changed—not just in my personal life, but in how I showed up at work.

Now, I help others recognise the same.

You’re Not Too Emotional. You’re Just Human.

Trauma in the workplace doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means the workplace has never learned how to hold the whole human.

Healing workplace culture starts with naming what’s real.
And recognising that we’re not robots—we’re people with histories, hearts, and nervous systems.

You Don’t Have to Carry It Alone

Inside the Heal to Achieve Community, we have real conversations about trauma at work—without shame, without jargon, and without asking you to perform your pain.

You’ll find:

• Weekly journaling prompts and healing tools

• Conversations on workplace trauma, burnout, boundaries, and leadership

• Resources to help you navigate stress in your role

• A community that affirms and uplifts your voice

Because trauma-informed leadership begins with trauma-informed living.
And you deserve a space where both are honoured.

👉🏾 Join the Community Now

Final Reflection

Where have you silenced yourself at work out of fear—and what would change if you felt safe enough to speak?

Work doesn’t have to be a site of survival.
It can become a space of growth, purpose, and healing—if we choose to see what’s really happening beneath the surface.

And that begins with you.

Let’s walk this healing path together.

Categories: : Healing & Trauma Recovery