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After attending a mental health conference, I was struck by the strength and emotion shown by two particular guests, who were speaking to us so openly and candidly about their recent bereavements.
In a moment of reflection I wondered what my own response would be to a friend or colleague if they were going through a similar ordeal. Could I be supportive in a way that is both kind and helpful?
Bereavement - a taboo that we need to talk about
One speaker explained that she felt strongly it would be far better for people to respectfully acknowledge what she had gone through as she returned to work — rather than inadvertently being alienated as a result of it.
The bottom line is that, although many people find themselves not knowing what to say, it’s usually better to say something, than nothing.
"Time and time again we hear from people on our National Helpline that they feel unsupported by their employers after the death of a loved one. This can often cause further distress at a very difficult and challenging time."
It’s important to break the taboo of bereavement, by helping organisations to help their employees understand how everyone in the workplace has a role to play in supporting bereavement amongst colleagues.
According to the latest data from GRiD, group life assurance policies paid out a total of £1.74 billion in benefits during 2024, which was an increase of £39.4 million compared to the previous year. Whilst there are bereavement support services attached to such polices, these are often not communicated or well known amongst the workforce.
Why should employers consider bereavement?
With just short of 1 in 4 working age people (24% - around 7.9millio employees) experiencing a bereavement in the past 12 months, workplace grief has cost the UK economy £23 billion per year. Furthermore, 56% of bereaved employees said they would consider leaving their job if their employer failed to provide proper support, and 32% of bereaved employees felt they were not treated with compassion by their employer.
These stats speak to the dual benefits of ensuring your bereavement support is of a high standard. Whilst there are obvious organisational benefits of supporting bereaved employees – such as reduced turnover and absenteeism, alongside lower levels of sickness absence – there are also non-obvious benefits too such as strengthened corporate culture, improved team morale and the reputational boost for being known as compassionate employer.
What action can you take to best support your employees?
ACAS (an independent public body working to improve workplace relationships) has produced a guide called “Managing Bereavement in the Workplace” which is an excellent starting point for building knowledge. However, a death may have left employees facing not only grief, but perhaps a difficult financial situation, new caring responsibilities, or a complicated role as Executor of Will. Aspects such as these must not forgotten.
People are unlikely to come forward and ask for help unless they already know that some support is available. This could be as simple as signposting to resources outside of your organisation such as a charity-run or free national helpline. It is likely that, even if your organisation does not have a stand-alone bereavement policy, there would be existing support pathways available that might be of significant assistance.
A supportive workplace considers the wide-ranging needs of employees navigating grief. A holistic benefits offering can provide meaningful, practical, and emotional support through a variety of channels. This may include:
- EAP’s (Employee Assistance Programmes) which offers confidential psychological support;
- Group Risk Policies, and their embedded services which can offer grief support, legal guidance, financial advice, and bereavement helplines to employees and their families at no extra cost;
- will writing benefits; and
- Occupational Health Services, which can help with fitness to work and reasonable adjustments.
The Kubler-Ross Change Curve illustrates that grief encompasses several various stages, and that people do not always move through them in a linear progression. With this in mind, it’s crucial that your bereavement strategy has an element of flexibility so that it can more effectively meet the needs of your employees. For example, different individuals may prefer different working provisions and different levels of communication. Furthermore, regularly taking feedback from your employees and then using this to develop your offering will ensure that your strategy is dynamic.
A culture of openness will help reduce the stigma attached to asking for support, meaning more employees can receive the help that they need and deserve. This culture brings “psychological safety” to the entire workforce; something that is widely believed to be one of the five key elements which allow a team to excel. When your employees feel that they are free to choose to be open about difficult or personal issues such as grief, the whole workforce will benefit from this cultural shift. Focus groups have found that it is important to employees that their colleagues are treated fairly.
If line managers are equipped to approach difficult issues, in an empathetic way, this will really help to ensure that employees feel supported. They should also be able to signpost employees towards the resources and support that the company offers, as well as provide more long-term soft support; for example by having an awareness of bereaved employees who may be particularly sensitive on anniversaries, birthdays and other significant dates. Therefore, training up line managers with the necessary skills and knowledge is an essential part of your bereavement strategy. Even a simple, concise list of “dos and “dont's" would make an excellent starting point.
"Just under half (46%) of employees were not aware of their employer having a policy or support in place for employees experiencing bereavement."
Taking the next steps
Bereavement affects every one of us and yet it’s too often misunderstood or quietly ignored. By taking meaningful steps to support grieving colleagues, we create not only a more humane workplace, but a stronger, more resilient one too.
Ensure that you acknowledge grief, and break the silence around it, embedding policies and benefits that make a real difference in times of need, and empowering your people by promoting empathy, and cultivate openness within your organisation.
Now is the time to embed compassion into your workplace culture. Because support during life’s hardest moments isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s essential.
For help shaping a bereavement strategy that reflects your values and your people, speak to our Wellbeing Consultancy team today.
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