All of us have experienced grief at some point in our lives. Whether that was the loss of a pet, loved one, friend, or other special person, we all know how it feels to endure such pain. Grief causes us to struggle to live life as we did prior. One way loss impacts an individual is through their job and work. Employees who are going through grief may not perform at the same level as they were previously at. This reaction is completely normal because it takes time to recover from loss and grief. As a manager or employer, it’s crucial to consider and empathize with employees who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. Your support will be beneficial to their journey through grief. Here are 8 ways you can support employees that are going through grief
1: Don’t be Strict with a Grieving Employee
Though work is important, your employee who is struggling needs to be treated fairly. Many employers fail to make accommodations for employees that are experiencing grief. They may believe that being strict and demanding won’t further affect the emotional state of an employee. This response will actually make an employee feel worse, and decrease their job performance. Realistically, nobody wants to use grief as an excuse to have less responsibilities at work. Instead of expecting them to function just like their peers, allow them to overcome their pain.
2: Lessen Their Workload
Especially in task based fields and jobs where work doesn’t need to be done immediately, lessening one’s workload shouldn’t be an issue. Have a meeting with any employees who are grieving to discuss workload changes. This step will help an employee have less stress, and more time to cope with their life changes. When working in a group, distribute any extra work to the other group members equally. Let them know that the grieving group member is unable to complete their end of the project. Small changes like these, even temporary, will significantly impact the recovery and happiness of a struggling employee.
3: Give Grieving Employees Access to Mental Health Resources
Some workplaces offer mental health resources like counseling, therapy, and other reliable methods. If your company can provide coverage for mental health assistance, make your employees aware of that option. Even if your company doesn’t offer paid services, provide access to websites, groups, and professionals that can support your employees. This means of support will make workers feel relieved and comforted. In the case that your workplace has no inclusion of mental health resources, it’s time to adapt that into your company’s practices. We all experience grief, so it’s important to provide resources when people are in need of support.
4: Empathize With the Grieving Employee
Everyone on this planet has experienced grief in one way or another. This reality makes it even easier to empathize with a grieving employee. While sympathy is sometimes useful, empathizing with someone is more beneficial. You can share your similar experiences and show your employee that you know what they are going through. This approach is one of the best ways you can support an employee who is experiencing grief.
5: Be Sincere
Managers can sometimes fail to be sincere when supporting their employees. While sincerity is difficult to achieve due to power imbalances, you can put yourself at the same level as your employee. Recognize them as an equal when you are relating to them and having a general connection. Showing true sincerity helps an employee feel seen. When you come across as fake and aren’t actually that invested in supporting an employee, they will be able to tell. This will surely cause conflict between management and employees. Genuine consideration for an employee can make a huge difference.
6: Paid Time Off for Employees Dealing with Grief
Paid time off is a wonderful way to show your appreciation for employees. Injuries, pregnancy, and grief are all good reasons to offer paid vacation time. Anywhere from a week to a month of paid time off can make a huge impact on the wellbeing of a grieving employee. So, if your company is able to afford paid time off, let your grieving employees have stress-free time away from work. Many employees force themselves to go to work even during depressing times because they don’t receive paid time off.
7: Put Grief Policies in Place
Grief is inevitable, so if you are able to put policies in place beforehand, it will reduce the issues when employees suffer loss. There should be a list of policies that guide an employer and employee in these instances. Policies should include things like resources, time off, scheduling changes, and other methods of assistance. It should also include preventions that stop management from firing an employee when they are grieving. There have been real life situations where employees are fired during a period of grief. This is unfair, and that’s why specific policies are so essential to the protection of employees.
8: Filling Other Employees In
After a grieving employee has given you permission, your management team can fill your other employees in about the situation. This decision will help them understand why an employee isn’t working at the same level as everyone else. Creating this dynamic, with the permission of a grieving employee will establish a safer working environment. When people are aware of one’s suffering, they can know how to act in a supportive, non-threatening way. Filling your employees in circumstances like these will also inspire them to work harder to make up for the decrease in performance.
These 8 support methods are useful when helping employees deal with their grief. As an employer, it’s your job to check up on your workers. Their health and safety must be maintained in order for them to do their job successfully. It’s important to receive ample amounts of support when you are grieving. Supporting your employees will help you build stronger work-based relationships. If you have one or multiple grieving employees, try these 8 support methods. Do everything you can to prioritize the happiness and wellbeing of your workers.
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Additional Reading:
Grief Management for Men: Coping With Loss
The Ultimate Guide to Sympathy Quotes
How To Help Your Kids Understand Death
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Writer Eula Skiles works for Dissertation writing service. Eula writes about business and digital marketing. She is passionate about guiding people into the business world, and assists them with online marketing services.
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