Trauma Sensitivity at Work - by Adriana Leigh (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Address burnout, conflict, and turnover with a trauma-informed leadership lens.

Trauma Sensitivity at Work is a clear, compassionate, and practical guide to building cultures of inclusion and safety by addressing an underlying cause of persistent workplace challenges: trauma. Drawing on two decades of global experience in workplace human rights, in leadership, and as a policy advisor-as well as her background as a human rights lawyer and her own healing journey-international changemaker Adriana Leigh demonstrates why trauma sensitivity is a core competency of leadership today and shows you how to cultivate it.

The first step for leaders is to understand trauma responses and how unresolved trauma shows up in the workplace, including as perfectionism, overwork, and mental health concerns. Leigh gently guides you to reflect on how trauma may affect your own leadership style and experience of work, and the possible implications for your team. Backed by extensive research, this impactful book bridges the gap between individual experience and organizational practice. Leigh shows how trauma-informed principles can be embedded into policy design, training, and well-being initiatives to help organizations build safer teams and more sustainable cultures. Through real-world stories, prompts, and actionable tools, she guides you to translate care into everyday leadership decisions-building safer teams, supporting mental health and well-being, creating conditions where people can do their best at work, and strengthening retention.

Written for HR, DEI, and well-being leaders, Trauma Sensitivity at Work is also for anyone who has felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or alone at work and sensed that something deeper needed attention. Leigh helps leaders reduce burnout and turnover by teaching them how to lead, design policy, and build culture with an understanding of trauma, starting with their own.

Review Quotes

"With humanity, clarity, and practical tools, Trauma Sensitivity at Work shows leaders how to turn compassion into culture-so people feel safe, included, and able to be and do their best."

Stephen "Shed" Shedletzky, speaker and author of Speak-Up Culture

"Adriana Leigh's timely and nuanced Trauma Sensitivity at Work shows leaders how everyday leadership behaviors can create safety rather than amplify employee trauma. In disrupted times, getting this right is not optional; it is a core leadership responsibility."

Gena Cox, PhD, organizational psychologist and author of Leading Inclusion

"Trauma Sensitivity at Work is the leadership book we've been waiting for. Adriana Leigh reframes workplace well-being from an individual to a collective responsibility and makes a compelling case for why systems (not just people) must change. Offering practical tools that don't just pre-vent harm but actively build trust, resilience, and belonging, Trauma Sensitivity at Work should be required reading for the future of work."

Anita Nowak, author of Purposeful Empathy and McGill Executive Institute faculty member