What can you do to help employees grieving a loss?
At one point or another, you’re going to grieve. You’re going to grieve over the loss of someone or something whom you loved very much. In general, grief is just a universal experience, and when it infiltrates the workplace, fostering a supportive and compassionate environment becomes paramount. Unfortunately, that just seems to be the problem nowadays with so many businesses; you could even say it’s an expensive mistake if you’re a thriving business, not allowing their employees to grieve and not allowing bereavement.
The loss of a loved one can deeply impact an employee’s well-being and productivity. In fact, forcing them to work and forcing them to carry on like everything is normal is not only going to hurt them mentally, but it’s going to destroy productivity, which is far more expensive and just kills morale. So, this is why showing compassion and support is vital, and here’s what you can do.
Table of Contents
Acknowledge the Loss
So, the first step in supporting grieving employees is to acknowledge their loss openly and empathetically. You and the team need to express condolences and let them know that you understand the gravity of their situation. A simple, heartfelt acknowledgment can go a long way in showing compassion. But acknowledging it shouldn’t be enough; they need to know that they don’t have to walk on eggshells and that they’ll have time to heal during this hard time.
Offer Flexibility
Think about yourself for a moment when it comes to this: everyone is going to need flexibility; they need time for this to sync in; they need to accept what happened to them; they need to plan for a funeral; they need to focus on all of these payments that they’re being hit with, they need to think about getting a cemetery plot and a grave marker death date. Truly, this list could just go on and on with everything that has to be done.
As you can see, when the bad news hits, you’re immediately hit with this massive wave of sorrow, things to do, and you just don’t know where to start. Everyone goes through this, and everyone who’s currently dealing with this needs some leeway. So, with that said, grieving is a personal journey, and individuals cope in different ways and at different paces. As a good employer, you’ll need to provide flexibility in work schedules and deadlines to accommodate grieving employees. This can help alleviate additional stress during an already challenging time.
Provide Resources
Even though this is something that everyone is going to eventually experience in their life, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to provide some helpful resources. This could include details about counseling services, support groups, or Employee Assistance Programs. Just by providing access to professional help can be invaluable in the grieving process. There may very well be something that could help them out.
Offer Bereavement Leave
Does your company have a bereavement leave policy? Some countries and regions require this; others will allow the company to make the decision instead. While policies may vary, offering paid time off to grieve allows employees the space and time they need without worrying about work-related responsibilities. You might want to think of it this way, too: talent who’s looking for employers to work for will look into this. No one knows when an unexpected event like this will happen, so it’s best to have a policy that allows for this.