Vicarious Trauma in the Workplace

In some work environments, people may face the challenging task of supporting clients or colleagues through difficult and potentially traumatic experiences.

This experience of being indirectly exposed to trauma is known as vicarious trauma.

While not everyone will experience it, understanding its impact and how to support those affected is crucial for maintaining a healthy and productive workplace.

What is Vicarious Trauma?

Vicarious trauma occurs when we are exposed to the emotions and experiences of others who have undergone traumatic events.

It's sometimes referred to as second-hand or indirect trauma. This exposure can lead to significant changes in mental health and wellbeing, affecting both personal and professional life.

Recognising the signs

Symptoms of vicarious trauma can manifest differently in each person, ranging from physical sensations to shifts in worldview.

These may include nightmares, intrusive thoughts, heightened sensitivity, mood swings, and alterations in perception.

Being aware of personal triggers and changes in day-to-day functioning can help individuals identify and address vicarious trauma early on.

Supporting colleagues through vicarious trauma

For people leaders and managers, supporting team members facing vicarious trauma is essential.

Implementing preventative measures at an organisational level can help manage the risk and reduce exposure.

This includes strategies like exposure point mapping, which identifies high-risk areas and stages in job roles where trauma exposure is most frequent.

Creating a safe and supportive workplace

Employers have a duty of care to prioritise the physical and mental health of their employees.

Establishing practice models, guidelines, and frameworks for assessing and managing vicarious trauma risk can contribute to a safer work environment.

Prevention should be the focus, but protective mechanisms should also be in place to mitigate the impact of trauma exposure when prevention is not possible.

By understanding vicarious trauma and implementing supportive measures, businesses can foster a workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and resilience in the face of challenging situations.

Professional support and self-care

Bella Therecht, Senior Consultant at Communicorp and FBG Group, works with organisations to develop strategies on supporting employees to better manage vicarious trauma.

Like most aspects of employee health and wellbeing, Bella says there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

“We know that the experience of vicarious trauma very much depends on the individual and that people can have very different response to the same event.”

Bella says one of the best ways for people to begin learning about their trauma is to be aware of their daily surroundings and routines.

“The best place to start, even it is a very individual experience, is to be self-aware around what our baseline is with respect to our wellbeing.

“Observed changes in our functioning are the first sign. So having an awareness around where we generally operate day to day, and what our personal triggers might be, allows your brain to flag when something may potentially be traumatic for you.

“So that you can be equipped and informed to put in those self-care strategies.”

Bella says with a strategy in place, employers and their team members can adapt to protect their wellbeing.

“We know vicarious trauma follows the work rather than the individual.

“So we identify how frequently employees might be exposed to types of exposure points so we can implement controls along the job life cycle at the stages where it's most frequent or most potentially impactful.

“We see some organisations developing leading practice models, guidelines and frameworks around how they intend to assess for vicarious trauma risk, when they intend to mitigate, and how they intend to do so with controls.”

Contact us to learn more about supporting your staff to foster a psychologically safe and healthy workplace:

Communicorp.com.au or call 1300 855 140