How to help employees navigate grief in the workplace

In its 2024 Grief in the workplace report, palliative and bereavement support charity Sue Ryder revealed that, in the last 12 months, 24% of working-age people, equating to 7.9 million employees, have experienced a bereavement. This highlights why providing support in this area is so important, because grief is something that will affect all of us at some point in our lives.

Where to begin

The best place to start when considering workplace support for grief is to understand that this is unique to individuals, unpredictable and non-linear. Employers should not make assumptions about employees’ experiences, but instead focus on their needs, understand any religious requirements, and ensure all conversations are led by them.

It is important to have robust policies, procedures and resources that are up to date, relevant to the organisation and easy for employees to find, explains Zoe Hamilton-Wynne, head of training at National Bereavement Service.

“Employers should look at whether everything is accessible if somebody is suddenly on bereavement leave and if they can get a copy without logging on to their work system,” she says. ”They should also have an awareness of the impact of grief and feel comfortable having sensitive conversations. Signposting to resources is useful and should be specific enough for individuals. If it isn’t, the manager doing the signposting should know where to find information that is.”

As well as ensuring support mechanisms are easily accessible, organisations need to be empathetic and demonstrate genuine care to build trust. A culture that supports employees to grieve in a way that does not negatively impact their role is key.

Employers should think about how skills associated with training, such as mental health first aid, should be skills everyone has in terms of how they talk to people, says Ben West, mental health campaigner, author and strategic advisor.

“If organisations get the culture right, they will get a better uptake in support,” he explains. ”The most important thing employers can do to support their staff in this way is to prepare.”

Employers should, therefore, adopt a compassionate, proactive approach by understanding individual needs, says Drini Zerka, benefits strategy consulting leader at Mercer.

“They can do this by assessing their demographics and the prevalent events likely to occur at that stage of their life,” he adds. ”They should also have flexible policies and access to a benefits package that addresses emotional, financial and practical needs during difficult times.”

Employers often ask employees to provide proof of death in the form of a death certificate or interim certificate from a coroner in the event of a bereavement. They may also need to provide proof of relationship, preferred dates for bereavement leave, or a fit note or medical certificate if they have to be signed off work for their mental wellbeing. Asking employees for proof of death in what is a difficult time could cause more upset, so employers should take a sensitive approach when having this conversation, because it is often only a requirement depending on an organisation’s policy or specific circumstances. 

Anne Wadey, senior bereavement consultant at National Bereavement Service, adds that staff also might need time off to attend an inquest.

“If employees are responsible for dealing with the estate, there will be phone calls to make and receive during work time,” she adds. ”If there’s somewhere where they can’t go and deal with this privately, that can be difficult. Key days such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries also need consideration.”

Employers should make a note of these key dates in order to check in with employees ahead of these in order to ensure they are aware of the support available to them and ask whether there is anything additional the employer can do.

Available grief support

While grief support should be led by the needs of an individual, there is a variety of initiatives employers can put in place, such as training mental health first aiders, wellbeing champions and bereavement buddies, and grief cafes and support groups. They could also have posters in the workplace with helpline numbers for relevant organisations and charities.

“Employers can offer flexible-working arrangements, access to mental health support, therapy, information on charitable giving options for employees’ wills, and flexible benefits that can be customised to individual needs,” says Zerka.

Staff and manager awareness training on the impact of grief and how it might appear differently can also be organised by an employer, as well as how to support someone with a life-limiting condition or terminal illness diagnosis.

Christine Husbands, commercial consultant at RedArc, says: “Support may include signposting to charities such as Compassionate Friends, Lullaby Trust and Cruse Bereavement, memory box provision, literature and story books for children, specialist therapies and eldercare advice.”

Group life insurance policies can include bereavement support, such as grief counselling, and practical support such as how to sort out an estate. Counselling can extend to other family members, such as children coping with the loss of a parent or sibling.

Employee assistance programmes (EAPs) are also useful tools that can be used in a proactive way, says Steve Thomson, director at Isio. “EAPs offer counselling, digital support and frameworks for both moments of crisis and the aftermath,” he says. ”They also have guidance around financial impact, funeral costs and planning, probate, and wills. Managers could contact one with an issue and receive guidance to better support employees.”

Some employees might suddenly find themselves with caring responsibilities or their living situations change completely, and they may need flexibility to attend legal meetings or help to find care facilities for an elderly parent recently widowed or for children.

If a bereavement has happened in the workplace, particularly where staff are in organisations within local communities or work closely in offices or factories and have working relationships that have lasted decades, employers can organise counselling and mental health support for those affected.

Bereavement leave

A bereavement policy is typically only applicable to household members or immediate family, but employees could be seriously impacted by the death of an extended family member or close friend. To cater to this, employers could broaden their policies or offer a specific number of days off depending on the relationship.

“Offering compassionate, non-judgemental dialogue and flexibility in return-to-work plans can further help ease the transition, making sure they don’t feel pressured to rush back,” says Zerka. “Transparent communication about leave entitlements, documentation requirements, and support helps reduce stress.”

Grief does not happen within a set time limit, so flexibility that accommodates individual circumstances is key. Some individuals may initially appear to be coping and wish to return to work, with grief not fully hitting them for several months. When it does so, however, support and understanding will be vital. 

Bereavement leave, therefore, needs to be less prescriptive and more flexible in terms of reflecting the reality of grief, notes West.

“For some, three days off and a return to structure, community and purpose benefits them greatly,” he explains. ”For others, a longer period to deal with initial grief and then a phased return to work helps. Other people need time off at the beginning but also benefit from structure and workplace support during the mid-stage.”

If employers get bereavement support right, from a fostering talent point of view, they can demonstrate the level of care they have for their workforce, West adds.

“When retention is measured over six months after an employee has been bereaved, the difference at an organisation that is bad at support and one that is good is huge,” he says.

While on bereavement leave, employers should ensure they communicate with employees via their preferred method. When staff then return to work, organisations should look at whether they work better at a certain time, if they feel more comfortable working from home, or want to join meetings without cameras on.

Grief is never easy to navigate, but with wide-ranging benefits from employers both in and out of the workplace, employees can be supported in a way that works for them.