This content was last reviewed in October 2021
At any time, one in 10 employees are likely to be affected by losing a loved one, yet research has found that bereaved people are being failed by a lack of support in the workplace. It found that:
- 4 in 10 bereaved adults feel isolated when back at work
- More than half (58%) of UK adults feel pressured to return to work after losing a loved one
- 30% felt they needed more than two weeks off before they were truly ready to come back
As an employer, you should be aware of the impact of bereavement on your employees and put policies and support processes in place, such as training for managers. Being able to respond to employees in confidence, communicating effectively and with compassion makes a huge difference.
How you can support a bereaved employee
There is no set way to grieve or to work best, so any support needs to be tailored to the individual and their specific circumstances.
- Talk to your employee and acknowledge their loss sensitively and with compassion.
- Ask your employee what they would like their colleagues to be told and whether they would like their colleagues to mention their bereavement or not.
- Everyone is different so never assume. ask them what they need and what might be helpful.
- Offer a prior informal visit to the workplace to help reduce anxiety around seeing the team on their first day back at work.
- Be accomodating of flexible working hours or a different working pattern for the first few weeks or months to ease the employee back into their normal work routine, they may need to take longer breaks or make more personal calls than usual.
- Regular reviews should be carried out with bereaved employees to be supportive and discuss any adjustments that may be needed to enable them to remain well and in work.
- When someone is bereaved they are likely to be preoccupied and lack concentration, therefore they may be unable to work to their usual capacity, so be supportive and make allowances.
- Be sensitive to particular times of the year, such as anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas.
Benefits of bereavement support
When employees do receive sensitive and appropriate bereavement support, there are numerous benefits in the workplace including a strong sense of goodwill towards your business, increased loyalty and engagement from all staff.
What external support is available?
Whilst some employers find themselves positioned to provide workplace support following a bereavement, employees find the opportunity to get confidential help from an external service invaluable.
External support services are available directly or can be offered as an added-value service by employee assistance programmes, such as Grief Encounter, Winston’s Wish, Way Foundation, Cruse and Child Bereavement UK. The continuity and content of support are very important, particularly bearing in mind the long-term and changing nature of grief.
However, employers should be cautious because the content of support services offered can vary significantly. Some services can be a very light touch helpline whereas others can provide long-term support from a dedicated nurse who can assess and organise the most appropriate face-to-face therapy or counselling.
We’re here for you
FSB Care provides comprehensive support for people in bereavement from a dedicated registered nurse with bereavement training. A course of specialist bereavement counselling or complementary therapy (e.g. massage to help relaxation or to aid sleep) can be provided when appropriate.
FSB Care is free to members and can be purchased for employees or other non-members. Visit the FSB Care hub to learn more about what we do.