The Cost of Loss and Grief: What Is It Costing You? Understanding Its Impact on Workplaces and Life.

🚨 Attention HR Professionals, Team Leaders, & Managers: A Must-Watch Video on Workplace Grief 🚨

💡 How does your workplace respond when employees face grief and loss?

This Grief Awareness Week, I had the privilege of sitting down with the amazing @Celia Conrad a leading expert in grief and loss. In this deeply insightful interview, Celia shared critical perspectives on the impact of grief and loss in the workplace and provided actionable strategies for leaders, HR professionals, and employees alike.

What Is Loss? What Is Grief?

Grief and loss are universal human experiences, but they manifest differently for everyone. Loss can range from the death of a loved one to significant life changes, such as a divorce, illness, or even job loss. These experiences disrupt our sense of normalcy and trigger grief, the emotional process we go through as we adapt to these changes.

Celia Conrad explains that grief is not linear and doesn’t follow a set timeline. It can affect people in waves, often long after the loss has occurred. She also highlighted some shocking statistics about how untreated grief impacts not just individuals but entire teams and organisations:

• Unacknowledged grief can lead to reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and even higher employee turnover.
• Over 70% of employees experiencing grief say it affects their ability to focus at work.
• Many organisations underestimate the cost of grief, which can amount to millions annually in lost productivity.

These insights underscore why it’s crucial for workplaces to address grief and loss head-on.

🌱 What We Covered in the Video

In this enlightening discussion with Celia Conrad, we explored:

1. What grief looks like in today’s workplaces: Grief is not always visible—it can show up as lack of focus, irritability, disengagement, or even burnout. Celia emphasized the importance of recognising these signs early to provide timely support.
2. How leaders and HR professionals can provide practical support: Celia shared actionable tools for managers and HR teams to create a supportive culture. She stressed the value of fostering open conversations, offering flexible work arrangements, and implementing grief-sensitive workplace policies.
3. The importance of moving forward, not just “moving on”: Healing doesn’t mean forgetting or “getting over it.” Instead, workplaces can help employees move forward by creating safe spaces for processing grief, building resilience, and maintaining their sense of purpose.

Why This Video Is a Must-Watch

This conversation with Celia Conrad offers a blend of compassion and practicality, making it a valuable resource for individuals and organisations alike. When grief and loss are addressed appropriately, workplaces can:

✅ Build stronger, more cohesive teams.

✅ Foster improved productivity and performance.

✅ Create a culture of empathy and understanding, which helps retain top talent.

Celia's expertise provides the foundation for organisations to move beyond superficial gestures of sympathy and develop meaningful strategies to support employees during difficult times.

💬 Let’s Start the Conversation

💡 How does your organisation currently support employees navigating grief? 💡 What changes could you make to create a more supportive environment?

🎥 Watch the full video now to learn from Celia Conrad's invaluable insights. This video is packed with practical tips and expert advice that can transform the way you think about grief in the workplace.

Once you’ve watched, let me know what resonated with you most in the comments below. Your thoughts, stories, and ideas are always welcome!

🌍 Here’s to Creating a More Compassionate Workplace Culture ✨

Grief awareness is the first step toward healing, growth, and resilience—for both individuals and organisations.

Together, let’s turn loss into an opportunity for connection, understanding, and progress.

👋🏾 WHO I AM: I’m an Employee Wellbeing Consultant and CEO of UNIKA, specialising in experiential wellbeing solutions for tech organisations across the UK. My mission is to help companies cultivate healthy, high-performing, and happy employees through innovative workshops and uplifting dance experiences.

🌟 WHAT WE DO: We combat burnout, stress, and digital exhaustion with practical, science-backed tools for nervous system regulation, while our high-energy dance shows inspire creativity, collaboration, and joy at corporate events.

🎤 MY BACKGROUND: As a professional dancer and choreographer with over a decade of experience, I’ve worked with global brands, top-tier events, and artists like Ne-Yo, Little Mix, JLS, and more. My work spans TV, film, and live events worldwide.

📩 LET’S CONNECT: Need a trusted wellbeing consultant? DM or email info@unikadanceevents.com to get in touch!

#griefawarenessweek