As of 1 December, new psychological health compliance codes are now enforceable in Victoria – a move that rightly places greater responsibility on employers to address psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
At a recent round table with HR leaders, one theme kept surfacing: we all know “trauma-informed workplaces” are important, but many fear they could get it wrong.
Managers worry about overstepping; HR wonders how to support leaders without expecting them to act like therapists.
This guide is intended to bridge that gap. It equips HR and managers with language, frameworks and practices rooted in research and lived experience, drawing also from international and Australian sources on trauma-informed approach.
NOTE: this is not a replacement for getting the right help and support, this is here to get the conversation started.
Before diving into processes, it’s essential to understand how common trauma is, and how it shows up in the workplace:
When a person carries trauma, past or present, it can affect memory, focus, emotional regulation, interpersonal trust, and how safe they feel in their work environment. Some may “mask” this well, so trauma doesn’t always look obvious.
This is why a trauma-informed workplace is not something we can ignore anymore. It is everywhere.
One of the most useful distinctions managers and HR can hold is between Big T and little t trauma:
While Big T can be more noticeable, “little t” events can erode wellbeing over time. People may bring both kinds of trauma into work. Recognising that trauma isn’t always a single dramatic event helps remove stigma and opens the space for more empathetic responses.
Drawing from the Australian Human Rights Commission guidelines, Mentally Healthy Workplaces, and other frameworks, the following principles are foundational.
Embedding these is not a “checklist” exercise. It requires ongoing commitment, reflection, and iteration.
One of the key insights from our round table was this: HR can’t just “know” trauma-informed practice, they must support managers to apply it. Here’s how:
Managers often hesitate because they don’t know what to say. Equip them with:
Include “dos and don’ts” (e.g. avoid judgmental or dismissive responses). The Australian HR Institute’s trauma-informed HR practices emphasise using neutral, respectful language in documentation and communications.
Managers can’t, and shouldn’t, carry therapeutic burdens. Part of this training is defining boundaries:
As stated by Worksafe Queensland guidelines trauma-informed return-to-work processes: “This approach is not about being a therapist. It’s about taking a human approach… creating a safe space for recovery.”
Managers can embed trauma-informed principles in their daily interactions:
Psychological safety has been shown to be more predictive of high-performing teams than any other factor.
Managers should not act alone, HR must rewrite policy, process and structure through a trauma lens. This includes:
By doing this, managers have structural support rather than being the “sole buffer.”
A manager sees an employee, beginning to take more time off, withdrawing in meetings, and missing deadlines. Rather than waiting until things escalate, they initiated a one-on-one:
“Jessica, I’ve noticed some changes in your workload and presence, no judgments. I want to check in: how are you doing, and is there a way I can support you? If you prefer, we can talk about options or adjustments.”
Jessica didn’t share trauma immediately, but did say she’d been managing stress at home. The manager responded with validation (“That sounds incredibly heavy”) and offered possibilities, reduced deadlines for a fortnight, connecting to HR for options, and letting Jessica choose how she wanted to talk further.
That conversation built trust, prevented escalation, and allowed Jessica to feel seen, and it didn’t require the manager to act as a counsellor.
To ensure lasting impact, HR should monitor outcomes. Suggested metrics include:
Trauma-informed organisational change is iterative. Use surveys and feedback loops to refine practices over time.
1. Roundtable + Listening Session
Bring leadership and managers together to surface beliefs, fears, and questions. Use these to co-create the journey.
2. Trauma-Informed Conversation Training
Short workshops or role-play that equip managers with scripts, listening practice, and referral confidence.
3. Policy Audit & Revision
Review leave, performance, complaints, onboarding documents through a trauma lens (safety, language, flexibility).
4. Embed Check-ins & Team Safety Rituals
Weekly or fortnightly team reflection sessions, leader check-ins, safe space norms.
5. Evaluation & Iteration Loop
Use surveys and metrics; feedback from managers/employees; adjust training and practices accordingly.
HR does not need to wait for perfect conditions to begin. As the round table affirmed, nobody wants to get it wrong, but waiting often means harm goes unaddressed.
By shifting power, providing structure, and equipping managers with care (not clinical burden), organisations can move from well-intended rhetoric to trauma-informed practice.
If you’re ready to begin, you don’t need clinical expertise, just curiosity, humility, and a commitment. Over time, the small changes add up: healthier teams, more trust, and a workplace where everyone can bring their whole selves.
In workplaces across Australia, wellbeing is often addressed in short bursts. A special event here, a wellness morning there, an awareness campaign once or twice a year. While these moments are valuable reminders, they are not enough.
Health and wellbeing challenges don’t follow the calendar. Stress, burnout, chronic illness, and mental health issues affect employees every day, not just on marked occasions. If workplaces only act in recognition of “awareness moments,” they risk missing the bigger picture, and the cost is significant.
Wellbeing isn’t “nice to have.” It’s a business must have. Research shows:
These statistics highlight how unaddressed wellbeing directly affects performance, retention, and organisational success.
Plus, let’s not forget to mention that workplaces are now personally liable for the wellbeing of their team.
When wellbeing is treated as an occasional campaign or awareness day, the results are surface-level. Posters come down, initiatives end, and employees return to “business as usual.”
To truly support employees, and protect long-term organisational health, workplaces must move beyond token gestures into proactive strategies.
Sustainable wellbeing means placing health into the culture of the workplace. It’s not about one-off programs, but ongoing commitment. Here’s what that looks like:
Conversations about mental health, chronic illness, or menopause should not feel taboo. Leaders who normalise open, respectful dialogue make it safer for employees to speak up before challenges escalate.
Managers shape workplace culture more than any campaign. Training leaders in active listening, compassionate communication, and stress management equips them to respond effectively and build psychological safety.
Every employee’s needs are different. Some may benefit from counselling or coaching, while others may respond better to mindfulness workshops, sound healing, or movement-based practices. Providing a variety of options ensures support is relevant and accessible. We have a range of ideas for you.
Too often, wellbeing programs are reactive, introduced only after issues have already escalated. By embedding preventative strategies, workplaces can reduce burnout, improve resilience, and catch small problems before they grow.
Wellbeing isn’t separate from business performance, it fuels it. Employees who feel supported are more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stay. Positioning wellbeing as a driver of organisational success helps leaders see its value clearly.
The absence of wellbeing strategies isn’t neutral, it actively undermines workplace culture. Employees facing unaddressed stress or health challenges are more likely to disengage, take extended leave, or exit altogether.
Low psychological safety can silence employees who might otherwise share valuable insights or concerns, reducing innovation and increasing risk. And for leaders, unmanaged stress can erode decision-making, communication, and the ability to guide teams effectively.
Over time, these challenges translate to lost productivity, higher turnover, reputational damage, and increased costs.
The organisations that thrive will be those that recognise wellbeing as foundational. This means:
When wellbeing is embedded into everyday practice, the results extend far beyond reduced stress. Workplaces see improved morale, stronger connection, higher retention, and greater overall performance.
By investing in proactive approaches, organisations can:
Ultimately, workplaces that prioritise wellbeing don’t just create healthier employees. They create stronger, more sustainable businesses.
Awareness campaigns will always have their place, but true impact comes when what we acknowledge in those moments becomes part of everyday life at work.
The question for workplaces is not whether wellbeing matters. The question is: what are you doing to make it an everyday priority?
According to the Liptember Foundation’s 2025 report, 1 in 2 Australian women are currently living with a mental health condition. 1 in 4 are facing these challenges at a severe level.
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