Grief in the workplace: when saying nothing is saying the wrong thing
People, of course, handle bereavement in different ways. Sensitive employers recognise that they can’t understand exactly what any particular person may be going through, even if they have experienced bereavement themselves. But this doesn’t mean to say that saying – or doing – nothing is the right approach to take.
Sourcing the right support – for employees and their managers
Providing the right kind of support for employees dealing with grief is a twofold process. First, businesses need to empower leaders, managers and HR people with the training and guidance they need to support colleagues in a sensitive and appropriate manner. This doesn’t mean that they need to become psychologists or counsellors. But it does mean enhancing their ability to recognise indications that an employee may be in need of further support, and helping them to overcome the reticence they may feel when broaching the subject of an employee’s loss.
At Aviva, we work with Cruse Bereavement Care, specialists who provide training and consultancy to organisations wishing to improve the way they interact with bereaved employees.
Investing in this type of training benefits businesses as a whole, as well as the individuals on whom they depend. Effective support can help to enhance productivity and reduce absence – though, as always, the amount of time a person spends away from the workplace should be down to the way they feel and what may be right for them as an individual.
Making sure people know where to find the support they need
Second, we need to help affected employees access external support through specialist organisations, voluntary groups and experts who can offer specialised help. This could be provided through the workplace – as part of an employee assistance programme or as part of the business’s workplace benefits package. Or it could simply be a case of directing employees to a hub, maintained by the business, where they can find details on relevant contacts for them to access independently.
Some insurers now offer support included within group critical illness or group income protection which makes it easier for employees – and their families – to access specialist help. This could enable access to a bereavement helpline, or to counselling which might be available face-to-face, or remotely through a website or smartphone app. It’s also possible to source products which include counselling related to particular circumstances – for example, we offer counselling tailored to children through support provider Grief Encounter.
Managing grief in the workplace
We’ve prepared a short guide which introduces five key considerations to bear in mind when supporting employees who may be grieving. It includes some useful contacts both for training managers to help their colleagues, and to provide help directly to affected colleagues
Download our Managing Grief in the Workplace guide.
The author is Sophie Money, wellbeing manager at Aviva.
This article is provided by Aviva.
In partnership with Aviva
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