How to provide employee bereavement support

It’s hard to deal with death. On losing someone, it seems as though time has stopped. Unfortunately, life without that individual will never be the same. One eventually learns to adapt to it. It’s a harsh fact of life that everything changes the moment you learn of someone’s passing, whether it’s expected or unexpected.

Death can have a significant impact on the place of work in terms of productivity and the team’s mental health, whether it affects one person or your entire crew.

Keep on reading to look more closely at how to provide employee bereavement support at the workplace.

When the employee comes back to work, be patient

Depending on the organization’s culture or whether it has a spiritual foundation, think about providing support in line with the bereaved employee’s expression of faith.

Keep an open door policy so that the worker understands they can come with any problems and that you will be willing to listen.

• Throughout this whole time, continue to assist the employee.
• Minimize their workload when they resume employment.
• Encourage them to stay away from places or circumstances that make them think about their loss.
• If the company allows it, let them work from home more regularly.
• Ask your staff how they are doing on a frequent basis. If you’re worried that they’re having trouble coping, advise them to speak with a counsellor or other mental health expert.
• Additionally, keep an eye out for indications that your employee may be suffering from sadness or anxiety due to their sorrow.

Talk to the grieving person

When you learn that your employee has suffered a loss, get in touch with them to express your sympathy.

The objective in getting in touch with them is to assure that you value them as a person and not that you’re worried about what their absence due to grief would entail for you or the business.

Allow the employee time to concentrate and think through the current issue they are experiencing. Be considerate of their needs and their personal space.

Be considerate and respectful of the privacy of your employees. There is no need to formally inform everyone in the office or provide information about the circumstance. The bereaved employee will inform their coworkers of their loss if they wish to do so.

Bereavement leave

The death of a member of your immediate family is eligible for bereavement leave.

Bereavement leave is frequently provided to workers as a routine perk by many businesses. The number of leaves might vary depending on an organization’s size, resources, and other factors.

If an employee brings up the idea of taking time off for bereavement when the deceased wasn’t a close relative, pay attention and try to determine how close the person was who passed away. Consider what this specific loss implies to the employee and seek advice from the human resources division.

Importance of bereavement leave in employee bereavement support

• Your company has the chance to show and support its principles, which need to include compassion for others.
• It gives folks room to mourn discreetly.
• It offers workers the time they need to handle pressing personal matters after a loved one passes away, such as arranging for funeral services or burials or managing estate matters.

You may probably come into contact with a grieving employee at some point as a manager or employer. Although this is a terrible reality, it is essential to be ready to support, mentor, and offer employee bereavement support. No one ever wants to be in that scenario, but try to picture it for a moment. The worker is abruptly overwhelmed with astonishment and grief. Nothing but unwavering support and encouragement are what the employee wishes for.