Losing a loved one is never easy, but added pressures from work can make the bereavement process ten times harder. Therefore, support from an employer at a time like this can be invaluable to helping the healing process. By Philip De Ste Croix, head of future planning, Damsons.
Grief can significantly influence a person’s ability to perform at work which can also filter through the entire team, yet it can be difficult to know how to manage. One of the most important roles a HR professional will take on in their career is dealing with an employee who is facing a bereavement. It can often be a difficult balancing act between looking after the employee’s emotional state and the best interests of the business. There are lots of things an employer can do to help during this time including emotional and practical care, but perhaps the most important thing of all is to let the bereaved employee know that they have the company’s full support and sympathy.
Understanding grief and its five stages can help HR professionals deal with the situation sensitively as everyone grieves at their own pace. These stages are; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Those who have experienced a loss will know that there is no set time frame for grief and it will vary depending on the individual. However, a good employer will be patient, compassionate and understanding and do whatever it takes to help them through it. After all, it’s in an employer’s best interest for a valued member of staff to get back to their old self as quick as possible. Before an employer can do anything, they need to ask the employee how or if they wish to communicate their loss to their colleagues. Most will welcome the support, but everyone grieves differently and may prefer some privacy instead.
Once the employee’s wishes have been understood, the HR department can begin the administration processes. Most members of staff in full-time employment are entitled to compassionate leave, details of which can be found in the company’s equivalent of an employee handbook, but it’s important that the HR professionals are up to speed with the company’s bereavement policies and that administration services are in place to avoid delays. A mistake at this point could be detrimental to the employee’s grieving experience and could cause them further stress. Policies will often include ‘time for dependents’, a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to deal with unforeseen matters and emergencies involving a dependant which includes leave to arrange or attend a funeral.
The grieving process is complex and will continue beyond an employee’s return to work. There will be good days and bad days so employers shouldn’t expect them to perform as they did prior to their loss. The best thing that a team can do is offer ongoing support. During the working hours\, this can simply be asking how they are feeling or taking on some of their workload. Bereavement is never easy, but talking openly and honestly about the subject will make for a supportive and inclusive team, which is essential to employee wellbeing and staff retention.
