Viewing Employee Empowerment Through a Trauma-Informed Care Lens: Is there a Difference?

Abstract

Employee empowerment was first introduced in literature during the 1950s but has become a highly researched topic. This theoretical review investigated if employee empowerment could be viewed through a trauma-informed lens. The trauma-informed care approach consists of six core principles, empowerment being one of them. Although similarities were noted between the characteristics of empowering individuals receiving trauma-informed care and the literature covering employee empowerment, new ideas on how to approach empowerment in the workplace are offered. Future research is needed to see if a difference truly exists between the two types of empowerment.