Second-hand trauma in the line of duty: Supporting workplace investigators

Workplace investigators handle sensitive cases, often encountering traumatic materials and occasionally aggressive individuals, making them vulnerable to second-hand trauma. A seasoned expert offers self-care tips and strategies for organisations to protect investigators.

Secondary traumatic stress in investigators – Where does it come from?

Prolonged exposure to others trauma may lead to vicarious trauma, also known as secondary traumatic stress (STS) or second-hand trauma. According to the publication Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress, STS occurs when someone is indirectly affected by another person’s trauma, particularly when they are motivated to help those involved.

The line of work a workplace investigator is involved in is such that they regularly deal with sensitive and often confronting content. Additionally, investigators may face vulnerable parties who react aggressively during interviews, or express frustration with the process and direct their anger at the investigator.

These are some situations that heighten the risk of second-hand trauma in investigators.

How does second-hand trauma affect investigators?

Workplace investigators come from diverse backgrounds—detectives, solicitors, barristers, HR professionals — each bringing a unique eye to their work. Their backgrounds influence how they handle traumatic materials and situations during investigations.

Frequent exposure to distressing content, such as witness statements, photographs, and documents are essential to determine facts and ensure a fair outcome for all parties involved in an investigation. Although each piece of evidence adds value, the emotional toll on investigators can be significant.

Kirsten Hartmann, Principal IR Consultant

Kirsten Hartmann, Principal IR Consultant shares one such incident where an investigator she worked with was frequently handling cases involving traumatic content, such as severe workplace harassment, bullying, and misconduct that also included physical and emotional abuse. Over time, the investigator began to experience symptoms consistent with various trauma, such as emotional exhaustion, irritability and trouble sleeping.

“Investigators know they are dealing with difficult situations that could evoke an emotional response to them personally as well. It is therefore important that investigators take care of their own health throughout the process,” Kirsten explains.

“Ensuring that investigators are supported to speak up when they’re not being treated correctly is key,” Kirsten confirms. This is where a manager or the organisation’s initiatives to protect their investigators, both during and after a challenging investigation, becomes paramount.

Managing emotional responses to prevent the impact of second-hand trauma

Workplace investigators need to be trauma-informed, objective, and emotionally detached from cases. However, “they are not robots, which means they can’t completely remove their emotions from an investigation. Investigators can become emotionally attached to the parties involved, or they could become emotionally attached to the situation,” says Kirsten.

There are multiple ways to stay emotionally detached, starting with ensuring objectivity, adhering and self-checking impartiality, and following a methodical process to establish a set of facts.

At times, during the middle of a process, an investigator may feel their objectivity and impartiality has been compromised. This situation is not ideal and can have ripple effects, so it is important an investigator takes the appropriate steps to keep themselves at a distance.

“I have found myself in similar situations where I was personally affected by a case. These are some ways that allowed me to reset and feel confident in proceeding with the case:

• Taking time away from the case
• Engaging in some self-care (the cup of tea and the B grade movie)
• Talking through the facts with my mentor (confidentially)
• Reading similar cases; and
• Working methodically through the facts and the process.

As Kirsten notes, when emotions are involved, an investigator needs to be fully comfortable in taking a step back to prioritise impartiality, Kirsten recommends.

“A key part of staying impartial is following a thorough investigative process and regularly checking in with oneself, regardless of the facts presented,” she explains.

Watch our webinar series ‘Decoding Psychosocial Risks in the Workplace’ to respond effectively to psychosocial risks in your organisation.

Self-care and early interventions for investigators

Throughout their careers, workplace investigators handle a wide range of sensitive and traumatic material, often for prolonged periods. This underscores the need for self-care and disciplined emotional management.

The first step is self-awareness and diagnosis through recognising how people’s traumatic stories are affecting one’s personal life and decision-making.

It is essential to allow time to heal after each investigation so that second-hand trauma does not stack up or become suppressed. Additionally, managing workload with support from the employer, whether it is by “switching up cases or reducing the number of sensitive cases” can help cope with the mental toll it takes on an investigator.

Kirsten suggests that even simple activities like “having a cup of tea and watching a good comedy” can help break the cycle, particularly when handling back-to-back disturbing cases like bullying or sexual harassment.

She also notes how her colleague, a workplace investigator that specialises in sexual harassment cases, relies on jogging to manage the emotional strain.

Moreover, investigators are vulnerable to long-term secondary trauma, and as Kirsten notes, “it’s important to address concerns immediately.”

Monitoring tell-tale signs of second-hand trauma, such as burnout, depression, or anxiety can assist investigators and organisations in addressing concerns early and preventing long-term harm.

“Speaking to a psychologist or debriefing with someone—while maintaining confidentiality—can make a significant difference as well,” Kirsten recommends.

Ultimately, it’s about creating opportunities to manage second-hand trauma and engage in open conversations about the investigation process. This ensures that organisations can step in to provide timely support.

Organisational support for investigator’s mental health

“Employers have an impactful role in determining what type of cases investigators are assigned to,” says Kirsten.

Constantly assigning sexual harassment cases to a subject-matter investigator, while it means a specialist is on the job, it can backfire.

“Investigators need a break,” Kirsten says.

Allow investigators to breathe

Not every organisation has the flexibility or luxury to rotate cases often, but providing room for investigators to breathe is crucial. This can be achieved through juggling case types to protect their mental health.

Kirsten also suggests involving external investigators when internal teams are under pressure or overwhelmed with cases to help cope with second-hand trauma.

“External providers reduce the burden on internal investigators and ensure impartiality, especially when emotional attachment or conflicts arise,” she explains.

“External providers also greatly reduce the burden on internal teams in terms of providing specialist expertise in complex cases that might potentially stretch an internal teams’ competency and therefore making them stressed and creating an opening for additional trauma to be felt or experienced”.

Facilitating a culture of safety

For organisations looking to foster a positive culture, it’s essential to encourage a culture of ‘speaking up’. Employees, including investigators, should feel safe speaking up if they are struggling during or after an investigation. This ensures safety of investigators, especially “if someone is aggressive towards them,” Kirsten emphasises.

Another key part of supporting investigators is by rolling out specialist Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

“While generic employee assistance programs are helpful, some associations offer specialised guidance for people dealing with traumatic events,” Kirsten says.

Kirsten suggests utilising support programs tailored to professions that work in traumatic fields where “trained psychologists can provide assistance to cope with second-hand trauma.”

Effectiveness of mentors

Beyond psychologists, Kirsten draws attention to the role of mentors in supporting investigators once again. Confidential mentorship programs allow junior investigators to share experiences without fear of judgement.

“Many organisations are pairing junior employees with senior staff, creating a safe space for open conversations,” she adds.

In a previous article, Kirsten discussed the importance of trauma-informed investigations and the need for empathy and care over rigidity. She goes on to add that while ensuring investigations are trauma-sensitive, it is vital to care for the wellbeing of investigators themselves.

“Training and development are crucial to equip investigators to handle complex and distressing cases. It can also provide tools for investigators to cope in an informed way,” Kirsten advises

Investigators need to feel valued, heard, and supported within organisations, she concludes.

Where to next?

The wellbeing of workplace investigators should be recognised and protected by business leaders. While building an internal team of investigators is crucial for handling formal complaints effectively, it can also be emotionally taxing for them as they may experience suppressed emotions and second-hand trauma.

To better understand your organisation’s culture, consider conducting a culture review to assess if your employees feel confident to raise concerns or ask for help.

Ensure your workplace investigators also receive regular training to stay on top of legal changes and understand ways to build resilience.

Contact us to discuss how we can support your team.