The Year That Changed Everything

“Can this be happiness, this terrifying freedom?” (Albert Camus)

Hello, and welcome to this new edition of Trauma At Work!

If you’ve been a subscriber for a while, thanks for sticking around. The last few months have been a time of poor health, recovery, realignment, and a lot of work. My updates going forward may sound a bit differently than what you’ve come to expect. I hope you’re up for trying some new things (no hard feelings if you’re not).

If you’re new here, what a gift to share this space together! This newsletter is all about taking a closer look at what shapes our wellbeing and mental health, and how we can design work and workplaces that embrace people’s humanity and lived experience.

So let’s get to it.

According to CIPD’s latest Health and Wellbeing survey*, UK employee absence has reached a record high of 9.4 days per year. Mental ill health remains the leading cause of both short- and long-term absence. Sadly, less than one in three employers are upskilling their line managers so they can support the mental health of their teams.

Line managers are the first to feel the impact of disengagement, burnout, and, sometimes, full-blown health crises. We know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How prepared are you to spot early signs of declining wellbeing and mental health, and put in place a plan for yourself or someone in your team?

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The holidays season can be tough for many. Social expectations, feelings of loneliness or exclusion, financial strain, family dynamics, stress related to yearly goals can all weigh heavily on people.

If that sounds like you, consider talking with your manager, saying no to gatherings or activities that drain you, and creating new, positive traditions. During the years I didn’t have any family to celebrate with, one thing I started doing was buying myself a generous Christmas present. And just like that, December had something to look forward to!

For leaders: revisit the December calendar with all faiths in mind, provide flexible work arrangements, and make it okay for people to opt out of events if they want to (secret Santa, anyone?). This is also a great time to remind your team of the mental health resources they can access.

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Over the past few months I’ve been working on several projects I plan to launch in the new year. One of these is a series of free webinars – think Lunch & Learn meets peer support and networking. First date will be announced in January. If you’re interested, I’d love to hear from you!

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Do you know anyone who hasn’t faced any adversity in their life?

(If you have, please point them out to me!!)

Adversity can take a toll on our physical and mental health, and sometimes lead to trauma. Despite representing a common human experience, adversity and trauma are rarely spoken about, particularly at work.

But we can’t fix what we can’t acknowledge.

As some of you know, I’m gathering evidence on how a legacy of adversity can show up at work (spoiler: many work strengths can be rooted in trauma, too).

This isn’t just for me and my personal use. The findings will be shared with everyone who wants to read it. The first report will be published once I reach 100 responses. I’m currently just over the 60 mark.

If you resonate with my mission and have 5 minutes to spare, please take the survey or share it with your network:

https://forms.gle/uZGb3BeQdZXbCBe99

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2025 has been an incredible year. Going from corporate HR to full-time motherhood and then self-employment has been a rollercoaster! I want to thank all the wonderful people - from complete strangers to old friends - who have offered their time, feedback, encouragement, and practical support in the last 12 months. I deeply appreciate each and every single one of you.

Wishing you a stress-free December, and I’ll be back on January 8th.

Adina

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*Sinclair, A. and Suff, R. (2025) Health and wellbeing at work. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.