Grief and loss in the workplace

Introduction - problem definition

Although grief is not a disease, the loss of a close relative has an impact on labor participation. Talking about grief and loss and the impact it has on our functioning remains a point of attention in Flanders. In the work contexts, the focus is often on efficiency and effectiveness. Good support in the workplace can ensure that work increases the resilience of grieving employees, which can prevent absenteeism.

Research question

The research questions in this one-year exploratory PWO study are; "What do employers, managers and HR services need to support grieving employees in view of sustainable employment?" "How can care for grieving employees form part of a supported organizational policy?"

Materials and methods

The theoretical part within the research methods of this qualitative research consisted of a literature study. The empirical part included 4 focus groups (3 focus groups with a total of 15 professionals + 1 focus group with 21 experts by experience) and 22 in-depth interviews with 14 professionals and 8 experts by experience. The respondents worked in representative companies. In addition, all 29 participating professionals and 8 interviewed experts by experience answer a structured questionnaire with closed questions about wishes and needs to promote or optimize grief policy/support for grieving employees in their work context.

Results

The most important findings from this study relate to various aspects.

(1) There is little awareness among professionals/organisations/companies of the contemporary integrative scientific view on grief. Almost all professionals regard grief as a personal unique fact. This often serves as an argument for a flexible individual-oriented approach. All professionals realize that 'grieving never ends', but this does not translate into a lasting attention/alertness towards a grieving employee. Unfortunately, some professionals still approach bereavement as a private matter, which is an outdated view, as a result of which grieving employees, once back at work, do not or insufficiently feel seen or recognized as a surviving relative and the impact of this on their labor participation.

(2) The tension between company interests and the personal interests of a grieving employee is recognizable for both actors and often an obstacle rather than an invitation to integrated loss management. Despite this, there are few companies/organizations with a detailed mourning policy, script or mourning protocol. Certainly not with regard to a process-based follow-up in function of sustainable employment.

(3) Managers invest a lot of energy in being present and close by at the time of reporting a death, funeral and interaction with work during the statutory days off and/or sick leave due to a death. Unfortunately, far too little attention is paid to supporting the grieving employee when returning to work. Temporarily providing other tasks or adapted work for the grieving employee rarely if ever happens. Conducting a basic support conversation with every grieving employee who returns to work about the impact of the death and concrete needs, wishes, expectations, desires with regard to work, task performance, colleagues, ... in the context of sustainable employment is not really established

(4) The manager is the most important actor that everyone relies on or looks to in order to support the grieving employee, but he has not been trained in this while he does need support.

(5) Being close, acknowledging the impact of grief on the one hand and also feeling recognized as a fully-fledged professional is an important expectation of grieving employees towards their manager/HR employee, employer,… Good practices contributed by grieving employees are mainly the result of a committed and empathetic manager/professional instead of a clear and supported mourning policy within the work context.

(6) Professionals hope for a strong and clear organizational policy in which grief occupies a clear place and the mandate is clear. In function of high-quality mourning support in the work context, all professionals need training/further training with concrete tips & tricks in function of connecting communication with grieving employees as well as basic information about grief as the most important content.

(7) Experienced experts initially expect the implementation of effective restart conversations and follow-up conversations. They believe that further training of the professionals is necessary for this. The research data will result in a promotional video and a training offer (available from November 2020) for professionals in companies/organisations on the theme of 'supporting grieving employees at work'.

Discussion

This research makes it clear that many companies invest in the first week after a death and consider that as sufficient attention towards a grieving employee. While these mainly want recognition for the impact of the death on their labor participation and still want to continue to function as a fully-fledged employee. Professionals and experts by experience indicate that there is a need for training to support their role. Training will also create awareness of the importance of effective implementation of a bereavement policy so that this results in sustainable employment and in a good corporate culture with care and involvement towards each other in function of labor participation.