Handling Grief In The Workplace

Dealing with the emotional pain of others is challenging because it is nothing you are able to readily see like someone hurting from an open wound on the arm. You will, however, see emotional pain show up in productivity, attendance, mood and affect. Ultimately, it can impact an entire team.

To top things off, it can be highly uncomfortable trying to figure out what to do once you realize someone is grieving loss in their life.

What is grief or bereavement?
One of the most difficult times in life is the loss of something or someone.

Bereavement is the period of grief that people experience when they have a change or loss in life. When someone experiences loss, this can be one of the most difficult times for them. The process of grief is different for everyone, and it’s important to know that it impacts everyone differently.

Some people are highly resilient and recover quicker than others. Depending upon the nature of the loss - this will often inform the nature of the bereavement.

What causes grief / bereavement?

Feelings of grief and bereavement can happen with any sense of loss.

For example:

• The ending of a relationship such as divorce.
• The death of a pet or loved one.
• Learning about a critical illness or disease in self or loved one.
• The realization of losing the potential for a goal or dream.

To Grant Leave or Not To Leave…Creating positive company culture

Following a loss, an individual may need to make arrangements for formal services suited to their culture and notify family and friends . Stress may come due to concerns about taking time off from work, bringing a need for understanding from the employer.

A bereavement policy can alleviate stress for both the employee and the employer. Having guidelines clearly defined makes it easier when times are tough in grief.

Employers will want to treat employees with compassion so that policy fosters good will and loyalty which in turn lends to productivity and engagement.

Having a bereavement policy clearly stated in the employee handbook is a good way to support positive company culture making expectations clear on both sides.

Rules Of Engagement
So often, grief is recognized and no one really knows what to say or do. Managing bereavement is such a sensitive subject, especially when it is obviously impacting work performance.

It is common to mean well with common statements that really aren’t helpful. Among those statements are:
“I know how you feel.” – you really don’t.
“They’re in a better place now.” – That may not be how that person feels.
“You can always have another (dog, cat, horse, baby, husband, etc…) – How do you replace someone you love?

Knowing what to say and do can expedite your employee getting the help and support they need to heal and get your operations back online.

Having a clear bereavement policy is one great step in building positive company culture. If you don’t yet have one in place, a great resource can be a Human Resource service such as HR Advantage that supports small business owners.

Another great step in building positive company culture is having the leadership in your team trained in Mental Health First Aid.

Mental Health First Aid classes are easy to attend virtually and give your leaders confidence in handling mental health challenges or substance use challenges should they arise. It is not a matter of “if” - it is a matter of “when.”

Check out upcoming Mental Health First Aid Classes at https://www.7figurebusinessowner.com/mental-health-first-aid

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