Navigating Grief and Loss in the Workplace
Grief and loss can profoundly impact individuals, not only in their personal lives but also in the workplace. Canada observes the National Day of Mourning on April 28th each year.
The National Day of Mourning not only honours the memory of workers who have been killed; but also, those of have been injured or suffered illness because of work-related incidents. Typically, the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill is flown at half-mast, and workers observe the day in various ways including wearing ribbons, lighting candles, and observing moments of silence. In 2023, 175 workers died from workplace injury or disease in BC. 1 Five of those workers were from the Tourism & Hospitality sector in BC. 2
Honouring our fallen colleagues highlights the importance of acknowledging the impact of grief on employees who have experienced the death of a colleague or a loved one. Supporting individuals experiencing grief and loss is crucial not only for their well-being but also for fostering a compassionate and psychologically safe workplace.
Grief is a complex experience that manifests in various contexts in workplaces, such as:
- Bereaved individuals who have experienced a personal loss (eg. a family member, friend or pet)
- Workers who have experienced a traumatic event at work (eg. fatality of a colleague or guest)
- Organizations going through significant changes or transitions (eg. a global pandemic or other changes like mergers or downsizing)
While grief is the natural reaction to loss, it is rarely resolved when workers return from a bereavement leave. In fact, the initial shock of a loved one’s death is usually just wearing off, and true grieving is just beginning and will likely permeate work. 3 Although colleagues and managers aren’t expected to take on the role of grief counsellors, below are some actions you can take to support workers dealing with grief: 4
Immediate response to loss
- Attend funeral service
- Send card or flowers on behalf of organization
- Acknowledge loss and offer condolences
- Preparing food and delivering to their home
- Be open to employee’s need to talk about the loss
- Avoid clichés such as: “Time heals all things”, “This too shall pass”, “It’s for the best”, ‘It’s God’s will”, etc.
- Ask grieving employee what you can do to help
Return to work after loss
- Briefly but frequently show concern and ask what you can do to help.
- Learn to identify those who may be returning to work too soon
- Recognize that some people will find comfort in getting back into a work routine
- Understand that it’s natural to experience significant grief for years
- Be watchful and encourage healty habits such as good hydration, nutrition and sleep
- Refer employee to EAP and/or other community supports as needed
Acknowledging loss
By acknowledging and supporting employees during their time of mourning, we can promote employee well-being and psychological safety which benefits all of us. go2HR respectfully acknowledges and participates in Day of Mourning ceremonies annually to honour fallen or injured colleagues. We encourage you to join us as we embody our deep commitment to creating safer spaces across the BC Tourism & Hospitality industry by:
- Attending a Day of Mourning ceremony in your area OR;
- Hold a Day of Mourning event in your workplace (minute of silence, share/discuss the Day of Mourning in a staff meeting, share support resources and stories of bereavement, offer a lunch and learn about grief, offer training on grief and loss, etc.)
For more information about supporting grief and loss in your workplace, contact a People Working Well Learning Consultant.
References:
- National Day of Mourning Media Resources. https://dayofmourning.bc.ca/media-resources/
- Day of Mourning British Columbia Facts. https://dayofmourning.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-DoM-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- Perreault, Yvette. (2011). When Grief Comes to Work – Managing Grief and Loss in the Workplace: A handbook for Managers and Supervisors https://www.catie.ca/sites/default/files/When%20Grief%20Comes%20to%20Work_e.pdf
- Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. Grief Response for Leaders. https://www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/resources/grief-response-for-leaders