The Framework:
Trauma-informed communications start with a clear-eyed reality: Many of your employees are managing challenges far beyond the workplace. These experiences fundamentally change the way information is processed, especially in times of stress or change.
This approach prioritizes:
Consistency: Predictable timing and formats help employees feel oriented — even when everything else is in flux.
Transparency: Communicate “the why,” push for openness, and make sure employees understand not just what’s happening, but what it means for them.
Choice and two-way voice: Let people have a say in how they receive information and offer genuine ways to contribute feedback or shape stories.
Inclusivity and accessibility: Use clear language. Remove jargon. Design for a global, diverse, multigenerational audience — ensuring no one is left behind.
Minimizing harm: Review every word and channel for impact. Communications should inform and steady, not overwhelm or disrupt.
The Tactics:
Trauma-informed communications is a discipline — grounded in policy, supported by process, and championed by leaders. Few of these tactics on their own are groundbreaking, but when taken as a collective and practiced consistently over time, they create supportive systems.
Concrete practices might include:
Standardized templates for key messages
Regular meeting cadences
Omnichannel messaging
Opt-in or opt-out channel strategies
Comments and reactions on content
Virtual gathering spaces for peer-to-peer learning and discussion
AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions instead of scripted Q&A
Visual and written content accessible to all abilities and internet bandwidths