Workplace Grief

• Designate a person/people temperamentally suited for managing grief discussions (not necessarily HR).
• Encourage open conversations about needs, challenges, and well-being.
• Offer private check-ins for the employee to share feedback or express concerns without judgment.
• Normalize talking about life events—both positive and difficult.

Notes on Open Communication:

• While grief is extremely personal, it can be experienced in groups. Other employees may become triggered by a coworker's recent loss.
• Recognize that everyone experiences and processes emotions differently.
  Allow for flexibility in how people choose to engage after a personal challenge. Some may want to talk openly, others may prefer privacy.
• Avoid isolating or excluding individuals during sensitive times. If someone looks ok, it doesn’t mean they are ok.

• Provide resources such as grief counseling, employee assistance programs (EAPs), grief books, guides, or videos.
• Offer flexible scheduling.
• Make it easy for employees to access help without stigma. This may mean the employee receives support outside the office. Employees may fear repercussions for seeking support in house.
• Be specific when offering help (e.g., “I can cover your meeting this afternoon” vs. “Let me know if you need anything”).

• Offer short workshops or resources (see videos such as How to Help a Grieving Friend).
• Encourage team members to approach difficult conversations mindfully and compassionately and let them know it’s ok to defer conversations to others if they are truly not comfortable with certain conversations.
• Provide tips for “What to Say and What Not to Say.” (see below or video series How to Best Support and Talk with People Who are Grieving).
  

The following are some guidelines on compassionate communication with a coworker who has experienced a loss:

What to Say:

• “Welcome back, [Name]. It’s so nice to see you. We’ve missed you.”
• “How are you doing?”
• “How is your energy level like
• “What does it feel like to be back?”
• “I would be happy to help you with [name specific task].”
• “Tell me about [the person who died], if you want to share.”
• “Who else is there to support you?”
• “Are you able to carve out time to focus on yourself?”

What Not to Say:

• “When my [relative] died, this is what I did…”
• “You must be feeling so [specific emotion].”
• “What do you need?”
• “It’s been [X] weeks/months—you must be returning to normal.”
• “At least…..”
• “I can’t imagine…”