A guide to compassionate bereavement support

Experiencing the loss of a family member, partner or friend can be a devastating experience, and grieving employees need to be treated with the utmost compassion and support. While bereavement in the workplace can be challenging – employees may need to take time off unexpectedly, find their performance is impacted or be temporarily unable to perform certain roles – a supportive approach will help your staff member and their colleagues to cope in this difficult time.

This page from CIPD discusses ways you can create a bereavement policy which can take into account individual circumstances and help build a supportive environment. It also includes information about the law and your health and safety obligations.

There are two PDF documents included – one for your own use as a HR professional, and one that can be shared with your line managers to ensure your approach is consistent across your organisation.