The Impact of Unresolved Trauma on Career Management

Most employees bring to their work many of the emotional characteristics and behaviour patterns they developed in childhood. For example,co‐workers become siblings and authority figures take on the roles of parents. Since 93 per cent of the US population has experienced a dysfunctional family of origin, they tend to re‐create dysfunctional patterns in the workplace. Considers several factors in managing the careers of adults abused as children. Defines child abuse, discusses adult patterns resulting from such trauma, examines the impact on working relationships and conflict management, and explores how human resource professionals and managers can foster career management for abused adults.