Trauma-Informed Communications
Acknowledge trauma and its potential impact
Trauma is not a matter of yes or no. But rather, as cited in a 2019 article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, it is: “A phenomenon existing on a ‘complex continuum’, which is less about discrete and easily identifiable symptoms, and more concerned with recognizing that trauma leads to pervasive feelings of being ‘overwhelmed’, ‘existentially unsafe’, and finding the world ‘profoundly and imminently dangerous.’”
Your employee audience includes trauma survivors and those actively experiencing trauma. Trauma-informed communications are not just for crises.
Advocate for safety and transparency
What does “safety” look like from an employee communications perspective? One could argue it translates to “consistency” and “predictability.” Establishing an editorial calendar is one thing. But how about consistent timing for your monthly all-hands, post-earnings message, or executive update? Even a template for organizational changes can provide feelings of safety.
Additionally, push your leaders to communicate transparently. Advocate for your employee audience to know five percent more than the street. Work to influence executives away from scripted Q&A sessions and opt for AMAs and town halls with live Q&A sessions. Always push for leadership to communicate “the why.”
Your communication channels are likely a mix of push and pull communications. If you can’t let employees opt-in to a newsletter, at least offer the option to opt-out (i.e., unsubscribe for the fiscal year). Consider a differentiated channel strategy based on attention span and available time (i.e., a 30-second summary pushed by bot, a 2-minute newsletter sent bi-weekly, and 3- to 4-minute reads on your Intranet).
Conduct annual focus groups to let your employees know they have a say in shaping how they are communicated to and what topics interest them. Two-way voice can also mean allowing for commenting on articles, creation of unmoderated chat spaces, and a mechanism for submitting both story ideas and questions to executive leadership.
Promote choice and two-way voice
If you don’t have a style guide, work with your team to create one. Specifically, identify preferred language — especially if you work in tech, where terms like “whitelist” and “blacklist” are still found.
Consider a checklist for photos and artwork to promote inclusion. Invest in training and education on writing about gender, sexuality, differently-abled bodies, etc. If you have a global audience, be mindful of American idioms and references.
During ongoing crises (disaster, layoffs, etc.) review all communications thoroughly for tone.
Lead with inclusivity
Research and adhere to best practices for user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) for intranet page design and content.
Include alt. text for photos; review images and text for contrast; invest in ASL interpreters for all-hands; and insist on closed-captioning for videos.
While infographics are a popular request for employee communications teams, remember that they are often difficult for screen readers.
Design story pages and content to be able to be consumed by the widest audience; this includes employees who may not have reliable internet access.
Aim for accessibility-first
Empower with knowledge
Work to guide folks away from “awareness” plays. Articles should have a clear call to action; related links where employees can go to learn more information; commenting where they can ask questions; and an easily identifiable author or subject matter expert to whom they can address questions.
Spell out acronyms and backlink to related articles for context and deeper learning. Consider glossaries on articles with technical or otherwise unfamiliar terms.
Push back against gatekeeping by avoiding inscrutable business terms and jargon.
