What employers, government can do to eradicate workplace trauma – Dr Abiri

Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri, a consultant psychiatrist, says that employers of labour need to learn how to recognise workplace trauma and be deliberate in creating trauma-informed workplaces.

Abiri defined a trauma-informed workplace as one where employees can identify trauma and call it out and feel safe when they do.

Abiri, who is also a mental health advocate, urged the Nigerian government to take a look at and understand what the employee assistance programme is and how it benefits workers.

She told Daily Champion that the government needs to ensure every workplace has an employee assistance programme where people are catered to beyond the work that they do.

Abiri spoke on the topic, Trauma Management at the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Summit 2023, themed Employee Wellness for Productivity and Performance, Wednesday.

The EAP 2023 Summit, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, was held in Lagos state from August 2 to 4.

Abiri said it is important to know what workplace trauma or workplace Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or career-place trauma is.

“Trauma, again being, any significantly stressful life event that causes a sense of loss of control to the individual, because their safety, stability and security are compromised. But this trauma actually happens in the workplace,” Abiri remarked.

Abiri, who is the Managing Director of Redi-Med Consulting Services, said people can identify the forms of workplace trauma when they sense a loss of control.

“It can be physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, forcing people to work when they are sick,” she said.

“It can be bullying people in the workplace, sexual abuse, using negative words to describe people at the workplace and other toxic cultures that have enabled a lot of negativity in the workplace,” Abiri continued.

Abiri said that negative cultures can include traumatic experiences where people cannot speak up or feel they are not part of an organisation, are unmotivated or burnt out and are not appreciated for the work they do.

“Even when they (employees) go above and beyond and are not rewarded, it is a sign of a negative culture in a workplace,” Abiri stated.

Abiri, who is a lecturer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, told employers of labour that they need to be aware there is trauma everywhere and that people already carry it from home.

She advocated for the creation of a kind, compassionate and empathetic environment in the workplace

“Kindness is what I describe as the cornerstone of our collective mental health. Share kindness at the workplace,” Abiri said.