How can organisations support grief in the workplace?

In September 2020, I returned to work following the hardest months of my life. Throughout the year, we'd all been juggling the pandemic, lockdowns, and furlough. However, unlike many of my peers, I had also said the hardest goodbye.

My lovely dad, just 58 years old, had died in the height of the pandemic in June following four years of living with terminal cancer.

Returning to work was one of my biggest anxieties. How would I cope with returning to a high-pressured role? How would I manage my triggers at work? How would I navigate conversations with my managers and colleagues?

I needed help, but I had no idea where to look. Endless scrolling through Google for articles to help me navigate this ‘new normal’. Why do I feel so exhausted at work? Why do I feel inadequate and unable to complete simple tasks?

Shortly after returning, I realised that organisations didn’t have these kinds of resources on hand, my manager hadn’t received training, and my peers didn’t know what to say. I realised that my grief couldn’t switch off between the hours of nine to five. I soon found that, as I shared my vulnerable experiences, colleagues came pouring out to share theirs. This is how the Grief and Bereavement Network came to be.

What is a grief and bereavement network?

A grief and bereavement network is a safe space for peer support, guidance, and vulnerability to discuss grief in the workplace. The grief and bereavement network at Cancer Research UK   launched in March 2021 on Marie Curie’s National Day of Reflection . The aim of the network was simple – to help those navigating the most difficult moments in life with effective policy, guidance and peer support.

How does the network work?

Every organisation is different, but our network launched following honest and open conversations about good and bad experiences of managing grief in the workplace.

We spoke to staff from across the organisation and collated our findings to figure out what the network focus needed to be. From our research, three core objectives were defined. We needed to explore options for working with HR to adapt our compassionate policies to reflect lived experiences.

We then needed to design guidance and direction for managers and bereaved employees on how to use these policies, and arguably most importantly we needed to hold space for grief in the workplace through our regular drop-in sessions.

Why should organisations host a grief and bereavement network?

Research by Marie Curie shows that 58% of employees returning to work following a bereavement felt their performance was affected . With one in eight people in the UK having experienced a bereavement since the beginning of the pandemic, there’s a high chance you have a number of employees silently managing their grief at work.

By supporting and enabling the conversation for grief in the workplace, you’re allowing your employees to be 100% themselves at work. You are validating their experiences and showing them that as an employer you care about their wellbeing.

Dying Matters found that 56% of employees    would consider leaving their role if they felt they had been treated poorly following a bereavement, truly exposing just how important it is for organisational retention and development.

How do we start our own grief and bereavement network? 

I’m thrilled you ask. Compassionate leadership is the key, and like with all good projects, you need a leader. It’s really important to identify a senior leadership member who’s willing to sponsor the network. If you want your employees to share their vulnerabilities with you, they need to understand that this network is a safe and respected place.

The network's success runs on real-life experiences of employees, so run a pulse survey, and ask questions that allow you as an organisation to be vulnerable. Have you been bereaved during your employment here? How do you feel your manager and teams supported you? What support would you like to see offered to bereaved members of staff?

Here are some other steps you can take to design a sustainable and deliverable network:

Have a look at your current policies

Are you using compassionate language in your policy? Do you offer sufficient amount of time off following a bereavement? Is your policy easy to find and access for all members of staff? Do you have a policy at all? If not, don’t worry. One in three UK employers don’t and Marie Curie have created a simple guide to get you started .

Develop your training and guidance

Do you currently provide any managers training for supporting bereaved employees? Do you have guidance that supports your compassionate policy and how it can be used? Do you have a sufficient ‘returning to work following a bereavement’ process? Not sure where to start? Check out the Marie Curie Resource Hub . 

Talk to your employees

Communication is key. If you want to inspire a compassionate work culture then communicating changes to support, policy and guidance is essential. Make sure the work you are doing as a network is communicated to employees across the organisation, and make sure there are efficient routes for bereaved members of staff to access support when needed.

Hear it from the experts – watch back the National Day of Reflection panel discussing ‘Grief at work: How can we better support employees?’ .

Find more useful information and guidance on grief and bereavement at work .