how to support a grieving employee

A combination of preparation, educational resources, and benefits can help you support grieving employees in the workplace. According to Miller, two years later, te employee is still with the company and has taken on more responsibilities. Millions more will grieve ~ Harvard Business Review. When you get a chance, privately offer your sincere condolences. EAP providers can also assist companies in creating a more supportive work environment for bereaved employees by conducting educational workshops. Sometimes it can be hard to know how to provide support without imposing, especially in the work setting. Prepare in advance. Talk to the grieving employee about how you can best support them. On-going support Bringing in a grief counselor to talk with employees and educate them about grief can help them support their grieving team member. Professional counseling can help you identify and manage your emotions and give you strategies to cope with your grief. Ang Sze Pheng, director of HR for APAC at WWT, recently sat down with journalist Nurhuda Syed to discuss how to support employees suffering from grief. Avoid grieving clichés. What not to say to a grieving employee 1. Ask if they would like to talk about taking some time as leave. It's likely that grieving employees will need therapy to help them process the loss and work through their emotions, but regular sessions with a . 6. Companies will have policies in place for bereavement, which may have been updated for the current situation.Understanding these policies will help provide the right guidance. This might include his or her manager following up with an employee in the days, weeks or months after the death to gently inquire how he or she is doing and if the firm can help in some way; communicating to the bereaved if the company's . Bringing in a grief counselor to talk with employees and educate them about grief can help them support their grieving team member. The power that management folks have to help that transition for somebody working would . Grief can take many forms and look different from day to day. How you can help a grieving co-worker. Bringing in a grief counselor to talk with employees and educate them about grief can help them support their grieving team member. To help grieving family members, nearly four in five employers (79%) offer some type of survivor benefit to dependents upon the death of an employee. Show your support. HRD Asia: If you feel isolated or as though you have no one to talk to, experiencing loss or a death in your life can hit you extra hard, making it even tougher to cope through the grief. You will also need to support your employee on an ongoing basis. Employers can be a big help here by offering bereavement leave and flexibility when the employee returns. It can take a very long time for people to get over a loss, and this can affect work performance. Offer mental health care. 1. Learn about resources available to you as an HR professional that will help your employee(s) dealing with loss and crisis. Grieving employees may need extra breaks or need to take a half day unexpectedly. What to do: Acknowledge the change and help to embrace the employee's outlook toward a new beginning and the person he/she is becoming. Here are ways you can support a grieving co-worker: Acknowledge the loss Grieving employees may need extra breaks or need to take a half day unexpectedly. Your grieving employee needs you and the structure this job provides You're creating a mindful, healthy working environment - and each of your employees and fellow leaders will take note And as workers eventually emerge from mourning, managers should support . Dr. Patrick O'Malley, a psychotherapist from Fort Worth, Texas, explains, "Grief is about love; grief is not an illness. Letting employees know that they have flexibility after they return can be a big relief. Grief can take many forms and look different from day to day. The process for how to support employees through grief is, unfortunately, one of the hardest and most delicate tasks you'll undertake as a business leader. Whatever the case, managing a grieving employee requires empathy, heightened sensitivity, flexibility and understanding. Managers and coworkers of a grieving employee may not know what to say (or not to say) or how they should act. In the United States, the typical bereavement leave policy is three to seven days, which is rarely enough time to hold a funeral or memorial service, let alone work through the initial pain of a loss. You can assist employees to deal with their bereavement and grief by providing support and sympathy. How you can help a grieving co-worker. A grieving employee loses an estimated 30 workdays a year and absenteeism costs U.S. employers $225.8 billion annually. In many cases, people who have lost a close family member have to put . This can help your employees focus on good memories of their colleague and turn the loss into something more positive. It is possible that the employee may not be entirely over the grief when he/she gets back to work. Has one of your colleagues recently experienced a loss? What to say and what not to say to someone dealing with a difficult personal situation. Millsap suggests these steps to support employees through current and future bereavements: • Create a process for communicating about loss in the workplace while still . Their loss isn't about you or your business. Knowing something about the various stages or behaviors that are common in the grief process can be helpful in understanding how to support grieving workers. Engaging with Grief. Lori is a Senior Learning Architect in the Customer . In order to position your . Addressing grief in the workplace. grief at work Grief is the normal & natural response to loss, a universal human experience. The more you support the whole family system's wellness, the more your employee will be able to work through his or her grief. Speaker and leadership authority Beth Miller is the Leadership Executive Advisor and founder of Executive Velocity and Chair with Vistage . How to support a coworker who is dealing with grief at work. Support from Co-Workers and Managers 3. Once the employer has been notified of the bereavement it is best to ensure that the bereaved employee knows they are not expected to work on the day the death has taken place. Use your discretion as far as involving other employees in showing support. Often the employee tells a close coworker first, then informs their line manager. How to Support Grieving Employees. It's important to know that grief happens to everyone. READ MORE: Compassionate leave for bereavement: what the law says. Try to continue to offer support for employees who need it. It's likely that grieving employees will need therapy to help them process the loss and work through their emotions, but regular sessions with a . A grieving employee loses an estimated 30 workdays a year and absenteeism costs U.S. employers $225.8 billion annually. Help employees access grief counselling through an employee assistance program or community agency. The most common survivor benefits include: The best way to help grieving employees is by pointing them towards the emotional support resources available, like their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Let them know how sorry you are. In order to support a grieving colleague, you need to strike the right balance between doing, offering specific tasks that you can help with, and being, showing empathy. When we lose someone important to us, life as we know it feels as though it has stopped. Ongoing support. Anthony and Guy Casablanca at Grief Leaders have written the book that every leader needs. Or that a miscarriage is less traumatic than losing a year-old baby. Prepare in advance. It is important for employers to allow employees to work through the five common stages of grief according to PsychCentral - denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance. Grief counseling is also a good idea if employees are grieving the loss of a colleague. Managers and coworkers of a grieving employee may not know what to say (or not to say) or how they should act. Should the pain you feel seem too deep and prolonged to bear, turn to a professional counselor, clergy member or a grief support group. I'm in the lobby if you want to talk. ( Centers for Disease Control, 2015) " Presenteeism ," which is when a person is physically present but not mentally engaged, can drastically affect workplace productivity by 1/3 or more. If it becomes a long-term issue, have a conversation with the employee and suggest he seek help via a counselor or grief therapist. As many across the country celebrate the lives of friends and loved ones they have lost during National Grief Awareness Week, EH's Chief People Officer Alex Hattingh has advice and insight for HR managers and business leaders to show they are in full support of employees that may be grieving. The Harvard Business Review notes that the best you can do as the manager of a grieving employee is to acknowledge the loss without making any demands. As many employees are now working remotely, there may be a tendency for leaders to engage in monitoring, leading to a reduction in felt autonomy among employees. Provide bereavement leave and flexibility upon return. Grieving can be a long process and support can fade. Try not to speak in clichés. Include a grief counsellor who can answer questions and provide support. These ideas will help you deal with the bereavement and grief that is regularly experienced by your employees and coworkers. When talking to your grieving employee, don't discuss how their loss and absence will impact your company. Supporting a return to work. If leaders support and help their subordinates engage in job crafting, this may improve employee well-being in these challenging times. Acknowledge Your Employee's Loss. Ask your funeral director, cleric or human relations coordinator if you need assistance locating help. But, unfortunately, you must know how to help employees through grief. Here are ways you can support a grieving co-worker: Acknowledge the loss Managers can reassure grief-stricken employees by letting them take time off without jeopardizing their jobs. ~ Harvard Business Review. Ask how they are feeling and ask how you can help. After all, much of the success of your business relies on the talented people on your team. A direct supervisor can help the employee coordinate getting the maximum guaranteed bereavement leave with Human Resources, communicate the news to teammates, and distribute the employee's work responsibilities across the team. While their grief may lessen over time, there might be certain days of the year such as birthdays and anniversaries where they need your support. Sharing personal anecdotes and stories is an excellent way to work through . Have policies in place for how the leave will be handled in the event an employee loses a close family member or friend. Currently, there are no federal bereavement laws and only one state (Oregon) has laws in place which grant paid or unpaid . ( Centers for Disease Control, 2015) " Presenteeism ," which is when a person is physically present but not mentally engaged, can drastically affect workplace productivity by 1/3 or more. Be empathetic and caring. However do engage with mental health counsellors for prolonged grief, provide details of national bereavement services like Cruse Bereavement Care, and ensure you understand your local 'care . Provide a personal touch. Managers and coworkers of a grieving employee may not know what to say (or not to say) or how they should act. 1. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is extremely difficult. Sometimes it can be hard to know how to provide support without imposing, especially in the work setting. EAP services are often available for the employee's family members as well. While EAP services can help the bereaved, they can also help colleagues learn how to provide support. Employees should also be signposted to internal and external support through the likes of your Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aider (if in place), the employee's GP or online communities such as Cruse or MIND. Be prepared for emotional ups and downs as a normal part of grief. Knowing that their employer supports them can help to minimise the employee's stress levels and reduce or avoid periods of sick leave. It's easy for you to argue that your company isn't capable of . A reassuring call to the grieving employee can go a long way in showing the humane side of the organisation. Creating employee support groups symbolizes that the organization cares about their employees' well-being and eases the loneliness and isolation the employee may experience during the grieving . ETHRWorld Contributor; July 19, 2021, 10:54 IST 2. Use this guide to support for a grieving employee as a starting place to help it grow strong. "If the employee is comfortable about sharing the news, then we will share it with . Ideally you will have a clear organisational bereavement policy and, where appropriate, trained staff. Grieving employees can use their EAP to access free counseling at any time. Expanding bereavement leave policies is a potentially low-cost benefit that can go a long way in supporting employees." Survivor Benefits. Keep in mind that the anniversary of the death, birthdays, holidays and other meaningful . Ask what the employee would like you to say to co­workers about the loss. It's important to focus on the individual and demonstrate support. Many EAPs offer training or workshops on grief and loss. Upon hearing of a loved one's passing, an employee may need to drop everything and . Grieving employees may find it difficult to focus and complete their work responsibilities as normal. 3. Grieving employees may need extra breaks or need to take a half day unexpectedly. It's likely that grieving employees will need therapy to help them process the loss and work through their emotions, but regular sessions with a . Offer mental health care. Bringing in a grief counselor to talk with employees and educate them about grief can help them support their grieving team member. Leaders acknowledging the grieving times the organisation is going through can create better employee morale in the long run. Our training and consultancy team can help with this. Coping with death is difficult. Below are some ways that employers and coworkers can support a grieving employee: Document workflows. Consider taking the following steps to show your grieving employee that you and your team care: Initiate an anonymous cash collection for an employee who is struggling to keep up with costly medical bills or funeral arrangements. Some employees may be devastated, while others may be sympathetic, but less impacted and just want to get back to work. Don't tell the employee to talk less about the deceased or remove memorabilia from the desk. Understand how to tangibly help employees going through loss and crisis. Grief counseling is also a good idea if employees are grieving the loss of a colleague. A Few Ways to Support and Manage a Grieving Employee… In the event of the death of a loved one, very few employees get paid time off, and that too just for a few days. In light of National Grief Awareness Day on August 30th, consider taking steps to create a more supportive work environment for employees experiencing grief. You can also help the employee by dividing his work into three . Bringing in a grief counselor to talk with employees and educate them about grief can help them support a grieving employee or team member. Instead, suggest that the employee meet with HR to discuss ways to obtain support for dealing with grief. Everyone processes things differently and employers that can identify these stages and support employees through them benefit all . Things To Understand About Grief Loss and grief are unavoidable. Many businesses sponsor Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which are free or low-cost sources of . More than just a guide, "The Dying Art of Leadership" delivers a process that companies and leaders can follow to help emotionally traumatized and grieving employees excel at work. Keep an eye out for signs that your employee is not coping, especially if their loss was . Don't assume that a more distant relative, for example, will result in less grief than losing a parent. Allow for the Grieving Process. After the employee returns to work, companies can further support a grieving worker in several ways. Grief can take many forms and look different from day to day. Instead, show your support and ensure them that they won't have to worry about work while they're grieving. When dealing with grief at work, there are no magic recipes for the right thing to do -and the wrong thing to do- that are . Grief leadership in action - a personal story. This book provides a model that will improve the engagement, morale, and performance of not only grieving employees, but of all the employees you lead. Offer Mental Health Care. I'm sorry for your loss. To help the grieving employees achieve acceptance of their loss and readjust to the workplace, organizations can bring certain changes in their structures. Many companies may also have trained staff members, as well as faith-based or other employee support groups who are able to speak with an employee. Bringing in a grief counselor to talk with employees and educate them about grief can help them support their grieving team member. The main purpose of these sessions is to help employees better understand how they can support a co-worker dealing with grief. By Rebekah Iliff September 20, 2021 No Comments. No one can make the grief easy, but there are ways to be supportive and to give people the time and space they need to process their emotions and find healing. Accept that, for whatever reason, your employee is grieving and needs all the help and support you can offer. Creating employee support groups symbolizes that the organization cares about their employees' well-being and eases the loneliness and isolation the employee may experience during the grieving . Do not assume. Call or send an email to your bereaved employee a day or two after the death. In light of National Grief Awareness Day on August 30th, consider taking steps to create a more supportive work environment for employees experiencing grief. Be aware that if an employee feels pressured into returning to work, this could exacerbate their grief and impact their mental health. Letting employees know that they have flexibility after they return can be a big relief. Following the Bereavement. Grief is always difficult, but seeking and offering support can help make grieving at work less challenging. Supporting your employee will help them, their family, and other colleagues within your organisation. More than 8 million people will be directly affected by a death this year; most of them will be in the workplace during the grieving period. Here are four ways managers and supervisors can support a grieving employee: 1. If the grief affects performance for too long, discuss the options. Employee assistance programmes (EAP) and MIND don't often provide support in the early weeks of grief, as grief is considered to be a natural process. Discuss options to support their return to work, such as a phased return or working from home. Paradoxically, offering employees more time to deal with their grief—through longer bereavement leave, reduced hours and flexible schedules—could wind up costing organizations less, Sandberg says. "I came to believe that a workplace where empathy is a core part of the culture that is a joyful and productive workplace and that workplace inspires a great deal of loyalty." The Dying Art of Leadership: How Leaders Can Help Grieving Employees Excel At Work is the resource that any manager or leader needs to support struggling team . Grief could even come at a totally unexpected time, out of the blue and prompted by something unlikely. And this effort she took to support her grieving employee made a real difference. Offer availability and cooperation in a concrete manner. Call a meeting to talk with staff, if appropriate. Lori's mom, Carleen, was diagnosed with cancer in August 2020. You have my support." Management reassurance. Managers can play a key role in helping a grieving employee to heal. Ask them if they want you to tell the team about their bereavement. Conduct Employee Workshops. Observe, be patient, be careful, be flexible. It's not about you. Grief is always difficult, but seeking and offering support can help make grieving at work less challenging. It is also appropriate to express care and concern with statements like: I'm glad you are back, and we're here for you. The death of an employee or someone close to them is never easy. › Go the distance. Make adjustments to meet their needs. Resuming the normal routine of work is part of the healthy recovery process. An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides 24/7 support over the phone, face-to-face or online for employees. Having to work around your company's bereavement policies can make it even harder. These confidential conversations with trained counsellors are free for employees to access, providing an extremely helpful resource to employees who may be grieving or experiencing any other hardships. It may be difficult and feel uncomfortable, but it's important to show grieving employees . Line managers in particular play an important role in influencing a grieving employee's experience of the workplace. When an Employee is Grieving the Death of a Child - How employers can help a grieving employee. (The Compassionate Friends) Helping Your Child Deal With Death - Suggestions for helping children cope with the death of a loved one. Employee assistance programs provide wraparound supports, including mental health services, to the employee and their immediate family. Most businesses and managers don't know how to support grieving employees and are ill-prepared for the kind of impact different types of grief can have on employees and the business. The Grief Recovery Institute estimates grief costs U.S. business close to $100 billion annually. Supporting employees through times of transition, loss, or grief is its own branch on the workplace tree of humanity. (KidsHealth) Find a bereavement helpline: Provide bereavement leave and flexibility upon return. Most of the sorrows don't occur at work, but they flow over into the workplace and affect co-workers and friends. Managers and coworkers of a grieving employee may not know what to say (or not to say) or how they should act. But there is a lot you can do even if you haven't a clear policy. How to support employees through grief. How workplaces can support grieving employees. Support from teammates can also go a long way, but it all depends on how comfortable an individual is with sharing the very personal news. 2. Grief is the normal and natural response to loss, a universal human experience. Has one of your colleagues recently experienced a loss? Grief can take many forms and look different from day to day. In many cases, people who have lost a close family member have to put . Encourage your staff to express condolence, exercise patience and be flexible. You can offer a bit of relief by meeting these employees where they are. After grieving employees are back on the job, managers should be patient with inconsistency in performance and attitude. Those who return to work before they can concentrate often make things worse for themselves and hard on their coworkers. 5. Letting employees know that they have flexibility after they return can be a big relief. Companies in creating a more supportive work environment for bereaved employees by conducting workshops. To know how to provide support, was diagnosed with cancer in 2020! Unfortunately, you must know how to help employees through times of transition, loss, grief! Happens to everyone to know how to support for a grieving employee not. This guide to support a co-worker dealing with grief will also need to drop and! Somebody working would or human relations coordinator if you need assistance locating help HR to discuss to. 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