Supporting Grieving Employees in the Workplace: 3 Strategies for Managers

From practical concerns like hiring the right funeral director and canceling commitments to navigating the complex emotions of loss, many employees understandably struggle to get back into work during such unfortunate periods.

And so one of the not uncommon duties of a good manager is to give support and guidance to grieving employees in the workplace.

Here are 3 helpful tips.

Individualized Support Plans

You want to make a plan that fits each person because everyone feels grief differently.

So:

• Start by having a private chat with the grieving employee to understand their feelings and needs better. Encourage them to share without pressure
• Ask open-ended questions to figure out how the loss is affecting their work and what support they need
• Work closely with them to create a personalized support plan that respects their needs and preferences. Make sure to consider things like deadlines, projects, and how they’re feeling emotionally
• Keep checking in regularly to see how they’re doing and if the plan is working. Be ready to adjust things as their needs change

For example, say a member of your team is struggling after a loss. You talk with them and find out they need time off. So, you agree to reduce their work for a while, letting them take it easy and adjust slowly.

Designated Support Person

While it’s no substitute for professional help, having one person to talk to can really help when you’re grieving.

You want to:

• Choose someone from the team who’s known for being caring and good at listening. Make sure they’re someone the grieving person feels comfortable with
• Give them pointers on how to offer support effectively. Teach them about empathy, active listening, and respecting privacy
• Encourage them to check in regularly with the grieving coworker. They should be a reliable source of support and a link to any extra help the coworker might need
• Let them know they can connect the coworker with resources like counseling services or HR if needed

Team Education and Training

Of course, everyone should know how to support a grieving coworker. It helps create a nicer workplace where everyone feels cared for.

You want to:

• Organize a training session for the whole team to learn about supporting grieving coworkers. Cover topics like active listening, empathy, and creating a supportive environment
• Encourage open discussions where team members can share their thoughts and feelings about helping a grieving coworker. This helps them learn from each other’s experiences
• Practice helping in different scenarios through role-playing exercises. This gives everyone a chance to try out different ways of offering support in a safe environment
• Keep the conversation going by offering ongoing support and guidance as needed. Remind the team that supporting each other is an ongoing effort

Employees are assets. Try out these tips to help them out.