Trauma, stress, depression are not new words for the world. Many individuals have post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly abbreviated as PTSD. Workplace trauma has become a matter of concern in recent times.
Here is everything you should know about workplace trauma and the measures to be taken to safeguard the health of your employees and yourself.
Workplace Trauma
Going to the office may not be a fun thing to do for many. A strict boss, a broken coffee machine, an uncomfortable chair, and the stress of working in an artificial environment without time to have a good laugh with people doesn’t come under workplace stress.
It consists of real problems like
- Discrimination by race, gender, physical appearance, compensation received, bullying, and partiality
- Unrealistic month-end targets
- Too much pressure
- An imbalance between professional and personal life
- Untimely working hours
- Harassment, sexual or others
- Too much screen time
- When the employer does not meet basic needs such as restrooms, hygiene, scheduled holidays, etc.
- Low pay in comparison to the industry margin and inability to quit
- Workplace accidents
Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma can be divided into three types, namely acute, chronic and complex. After 3 months of the incident, symptoms exhibit themselves and can last for several years or an entire lifetime. The common symptoms of trauma are:
- Fear
- Physical pain and exhaustion
- Difficulty concentrating and understanding simple matters
- Emotional outbursts
- Blunt and dissociated feeling
- Sleepless nights
- Anxiety
- Reliving a bad memory through images, smell, sound, and other physical sensations
- Panic Attacks
- Suicidal Thoughts
Treatments
The good thing is, trauma is a completely treatable disorder, and people can live a perfectly normal and socially acceptable life.
The four important R’s of trauma-informed care are:
- Realization of trauma
- Recognition of trauma symptoms
- Response in the form of medical treatment and change in lifestyle
- Resisting re-traumatization
Organizations can protect employees by:
- Ensuring employees have enough free time to balance work and their personal life
- Creating support groups, counseling, and organize frequent, fun events
- Get opinions and feedback from employees and work on rectifying mistakes
- Conduct peer review sessions and assure safety
Many individuals have recovered from workplace trauma after quitting their jobs and making profound lifestyle changes. In contrast, others who can’t quit the job due to their situations have taken up psychiatric help and medication to prevent further damage.
