Picture this: a highly talented employee misses another deadline. His colleagues whisper about his frequent absences, and his manager is frustrated with him defensiveness during performance reviews. He’s brilliant but seems perpetually out of sync. What’s going on? Often, the answer lies in unresolved childhood trauma.
Childhood trauma doesn’t disappear when someone turns 18. It stays, shadowing people into adulthood, subtly shaping how they think, feel, and behave—even at work. For businesses, this can manifest in ways that directly affect performance, team dynamics, and the bottom line.
Consider the cost of productivity loss. Employees carrying the weight of unresolved trauma often find it hard to focus or manage time effectively. They may battle anxiety, depression, or imposter syndrome, leaving their work incomplete or subpar. These struggles aren’t visible on a résumé, but they reveal themselves in missed opportunities and delayed projects.
Trauma also reshapes team dynamics. A person with trust issues may find collaboration overwhelming. They might struggle with feedback, perceiving constructive criticism as personal rejection. Or worse, their heightened emotions could escalate workplace conflicts, making it harder for teams to function cohesively. On the flip side, some trauma survivors avoid conflict altogether, suppressing their needs and allowing dysfunction to fester.
Then there’s the issue of leadership avoidance. Many trauma survivors shy away from leadership roles, fearing the heightened scrutiny and responsibility will expose their vulnerabilities. Imagine how much potential goes untapped when promising leaders sidestep opportunities because they doubt their abilities.
Even at an organizational level, businesses bear the burden. Trauma-related stress can lead to high employee turnover, as unresolved issues push individuals to resign rather than address underlying workplace challenges. Healthcare costs also rise, with trauma survivors more likely to seek medical treatment for stress-related conditions.
The real challenge? Businesses often miss the signs. Trauma doesn’t show up as a line item in annual reports, but it hides in absenteeism, miscommunication, and disengagement.
So, what’s the solution? Companies can create trauma-informed workplaces—spaces where employees feel safe, supported, and seen. This means offering mental health resources, training managers to spot red flags, and fostering an empathetic culture where struggles aren’t stigmatized but understood.
By addressing childhood trauma, businesses can transform these hidden liabilities into opportunities for growth—for individuals and the organization as a whole. Because when employees heal, businesses thrive.