Founders’ Growth

The Organization's Role in Responding to Trauma

In a classic movie scene, we witness a man slipping on a banana peel and tumbling to the ground. Why does the audience erupt in laughter? It's the element of surprise that triggers this reaction, but not all surprises are humorous. What truly elicits laughter is the element of self-humor – that moment of realization when we acknowledge our own naivety, like thinking that a person who walks will always keep walking. This brand of slapstick humor serves as a metaphor for the dynamics of trauma. In the face of trauma, our reality, the narrative we live within, becomes unsteady, wobbles, and sometimes even crumbles.

Work stands as a pivotal pillar of an individual's identity. One's profession or job functions as the characters through which we weave a life story filled with profound meaning. During times of conflict and trauma, when the very fabric of reality is threatened, the organization plays a critical role in anchoring its employees within their identity.

In pursuit of this crucial role, the organization should:

Integrate itself into the employee's life network: The organization should take on an active and positive role in its employees' lives, encouraging and allowing them to tend to personal and family matters or participate in efforts related to the traumatic event. By initiating involvement in these collective undertakings and aligning with shared ideals, the organization fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens the employee's identification with the organization.

Foster a sense of social identity at work: The organization should promote gatherings and forums where employees can openly share their experiences, providing a space for expressing empathy and identification with one another. This fosters a sense of unity and solidarity among the workforce, further fortifying their emotional connection to the organization.

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