Breaking the Chain at Work
Familial Intergenerational Trauma in the Workplace and Its Impact on Organizational Health
In workplaces across the globe, employees bring more than just their skills, expertise, and personalities. They bring stories—some spoken, some unspoken. Among these stories are traces of familial intergenerational trauma, deeply rooted experiences passed down from generation to generation, shaping how individuals see themselves, others, and the world. When this unacknowledged trauma enters the workplace, it can quietly but powerfully affect organizational health.
What Is Familial Intergenerational Trauma?
Familial intergenerational trauma occurs when the effects of a traumatic event experienced by one generation are passed down to subsequent generations. This transmission can manifest emotionally, behaviorally, or even biologically. For example:
• A grandparent who survived war or systemic oppression may unintentionally transfer a survivalist mindset to their children.
• Children of parents who faced significant financial instability may grow up internalizing fears of scarcity or mistrust of authority.
These experiences, though personal, do not remain isolated. They shape how individuals interact with systems—including workplaces.
Trauma in the Workplace
Workplaces, by their very nature, are microcosms of society. Employees carry their learned behaviors, coping mechanisms, and perceptions of safety into professional settings. When intergenerational trauma goes unexamined, it may manifest in ways that influence individual and organizational health:
1. Hypervigilance
Employees may exhibit heightened sensitivity to feedback or perceive neutral situations as threatening. For instance, a worker whose family faced constant instability might respond to organizational changes with disproportionate fear or anxiety.
2. Distrust and Control Issues
Traumatic histories involving betrayal or neglect can create difficulty trusting colleagues or leadership. This may lead to resistance to collaboration, micromanagement, or hesitancy to delegate tasks.
3. Workaholism or Avoidance
Some individuals use work as a way to escape personal pain, leading to burnout. Others may avoid difficult conversations or responsibilities, reflecting unresolved trauma responses.
4. Conflict Escalation or Withdrawal
Past experiences with unresolved conflict in familial settings can influence how employees approach workplace disagreements. This may result in overreaction, withdrawal, or miscommunication.
5. Barrier to Psychological Safety
Intergenerational trauma can make it difficult for employees to feel psychologically safe—an essential ingredient for innovation and trust. If employees perceive their workplace as an environment where vulnerability leads to harm, they may withhold ideas, concerns, or feedback.
The Ripple Effect on Organizational Health
Unaddressed intergenerational trauma doesn’t just impact individuals; it creates ripple effects that can transform the culture and effectiveness of an entire organization. At its core, organizational health depends on the trust, cohesion, and productivity of its people. When unresolved trauma goes unacknowledged, it can subtly undermine these pillars in the following ways:
1. Decreased Team Cohesion
Teams thrive on collaboration, trust, and mutual understanding. However, intergenerational trauma can create barriers to these qualities. Employees carrying unresolved trauma may find it difficult to fully connect with colleagues, either by withdrawing emotionally, struggling with conflict, or avoiding collaboration altogether. This can lead to fragmented teams, siloed efforts, and a sense of disconnection among staff, ultimately reducing the collective effectiveness of the organization.
2. Reduced Productivity
Trauma responses are often invisible, but their effects on productivity are tangible. Employees grappling with heightened anxiety, hypervigilance, or emotional exhaustion may struggle to focus, meet deadlines, or sustain high performance. For example, an employee whose trauma manifests as perfectionism might spend excessive time on minor details, while another who experiences avoidance may procrastinate or disengage. These patterns can disrupt workflows, increase errors, and create bottlenecks in critical processes.
3. Higher Turnover Rates
Work environments that inadvertently activate trauma responses often lead to employee burnout and disengagement. Over time, this can contribute to higher turnover rates as individuals seek relief in new opportunities or leave industries altogether. Organizations with cultures that fail to address trauma risk losing talented employees who might have thrived in a more supportive environment. The cost of turnover—both financially and culturally—can be steep, with recruiting, onboarding, and training replacements consuming resources and morale.
4. Toxic Work Cultures
When intergenerational trauma influences workplace dynamics, it can contribute to the creation or reinforcement of toxic work cultures. Mistrust, poor communication, and avoidance of accountability can become entrenched, creating an atmosphere where employees feel unsafe, undervalued, or unsupported. In such cultures, individual trauma can compound collective dysfunction, eroding the psychological safety necessary for innovation, collaboration, and growth.
5. Challenges in Leadership
Trauma isn’t limited to entry-level employees—leaders, too, may carry intergenerational wounds that affect their decision-making, communication, and ability to connect with their teams. Leaders who haven’t addressed their own trauma may unconsciously perpetuate harmful practices, such as micromanagement, favoritism, or avoidance of difficult conversations. This can undermine their credibility and alienate their teams, ultimately diminishing organizational trust and alignment.
Fostering Healing in Organizations
Building a trauma-informed workplace is not about fixing individuals—it’s about creating systems and cultures that support healing and resilience for everyone. Organizations that recognize the impact of intergenerational trauma and take proactive steps to address it can unlock significant benefits, including enhanced employee well-being, improved performance, and stronger organizational health. Here’s how organizations can foster healing:
1. Normalize Conversations About Mental Health
Organizations must create environments where discussions of mental health and trauma are not only welcomed but encouraged. This begins with leadership modeling vulnerability and transparency. Open discussions about mental health, wellness initiatives, and the normalization of seeking help through employee assistance programs (EAPs) can destigmatize trauma and mental health challenges. Additionally, organizations should support peer-led groups or Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that create safe spaces for employees to share experiences and build community.
2. Invest in Trauma-Informed Leadership
Leaders play a critical role in shaping workplace culture. Trauma-informed leadership goes beyond empathy—it involves understanding the ways trauma manifests in professional settings and responding with compassion and strategy. Leaders should be trained to recognize signs of trauma, such as withdrawal, heightened defensiveness, or avoidance, and to respond with practices like active listening, consistent communication, and nonjudgmental support. A trauma-informed leader sets the tone for the entire organization, creating a foundation of trust and safety.
3. Promote Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is the cornerstone of a healthy workplace. When employees feel safe to voice their thoughts, admit mistakes, and share concerns without fear of retribution, they are more likely to engage, innovate, and collaborate. Organizations can build psychological safety by establishing clear and fair policies, fostering inclusive decision-making, and addressing conflicts promptly and constructively. Regular feedback loops and open forums for discussion signal that employees’ voices are valued.
4. Create Equitable and Inclusive Policies
Trauma often intersects with systemic inequities, such as racism, sexism, and economic disparities. Organizations must examine their policies and practices to ensure they are equitable and inclusive. This includes addressing wage gaps, creating career development opportunities for underrepresented groups, and fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued. Equity and inclusion are not just moral imperatives—they are critical to dismantling the systemic structures that perpetuate trauma.
5. Model Healing at the Organizational Level
Just as individuals can carry trauma, so can organizations. Toxic practices such as favoritism, punitive policies, or inequitable resource allocation can perpetuate harm. Organizations must engage in their own “healing” by critically evaluating their systems, seeking feedback from employees, and committing to meaningful change. For example, conducting organizational health assessments or partnering with external experts to address gaps can set a precedent for transparency and accountability.
6. Celebrate Strength and Resilience
Healing doesn’t only come from addressing harm—it also comes from celebrating strength. Organizations can honor employees’ resilience by recognizing their contributions, offering opportunities for growth, and fostering a culture of gratitude. Celebrating wins, big or small, helps create an environment where employees feel valued and connected.
Healing is not just an individual journey—it’s a collective one. Organizations that commit to fostering healing create the conditions for innovation, trust, and sustained success, proving that breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma benefits everyone involved. Together, we can build workplaces where the ripple effects of trauma give way to ripples of resilience, connection, and shared purpose.