Supporting bereavement

It’s likely that, at some point, you will be working alongside somebody who is grieving the death of a loved one. This might be due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has resulted in many of us losing loved ones before their time, or because of other causes. It can be difficult to know how to provide colleagues with the support they need following a bereavement.

This PDF guide from Dying Matters explains what you might expect to see when someone is grieving, and suggests ways you can help. It includes a list of ‘dos’ and ‘do nots’ that can help you manage your response as best you can – for example, grieving colleagues might appreciate still being invited to work social events, even if they do not feel like coming just yet. However, they may dislike being forced to talk about the situation if they would prefer to keep their feelings private.

It also includes links to other organisations that may be able to provide specialist support.

You may find this guide especially useful if you are a leader who is worried about someone within your team.