Organizational Trauma

Tragic events, high profile cases, external pressures, and public scrutiny can take a collective toll on any agency. Like individuals, organizations too, can become traumatized from critical incidents or chronic repetitive stress. The entire institution can become hyper-aroused wherein everything is treated as a crisis - a single unfortunate event happens to one employee and policies start changing for EVERYONE!

Left unattended, workplace toxicity slowly develops, creating atmospheres of cynicism, negativity, embitterment, and mistrust. But there is hope! An exciting body of research emerging in health psychology suggests that although traumatic events can be difficult, they can also bring people together, enhance empathy and compassion in the workplace, improve performance under pressure, and even render a workforce stronger and more successful. 

Recent studies in neuroscience and biopsychology suggest that by acknowledging and reconnecting with the meaning of the work, stress can be transformed into something consequential, enabling organizations to learn, grow, and even benefit from coming together during challenging times.