How to address grief in the workplace
Grief is inevitable in life, and it doesn’t stop just because someone walks into work. While death is one of the most recognized causes of grief, employees can struggle to deal with any type of significant loss, like a divorce or miscarriage. Left unacknowledged, the shock and pain of grief can trickle throughout your workplace. It can affect employee well-being, morale, productivity, and even retention.
Knowing how to respond to employee bereavement and grief is essential for creating a healthy, supportive workplace environment. When leadership knows how to offer compassionate and practical support, it benefits both a grieving employee and your company’s overall culture. Continue reading to learn how to support employees through grief and loss with strategies that work.
The effects of unaddressed grief in the workplace
Unresolved grief can undermine employee well-being and damage workplace culture. Not acknowledging grief in the workplace has far-reaching consequences. Employees who don’t have adequate support during the grieving process are more likely to struggle emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Impact on employees
Grief is a personal journey that no two people experience in the same way. It’s unpredictable and doesn’t follow a set timeline or path. It manifests in multiple ways and often goes far beyond the initial aftermath of a loss, whether that’s a death, divorce, or other type of loss.
Research shows that grieving employees experience emotional, mental, and physical symptoms that can lead to burnout, isolation, absenteeism, and reduced productivity. Grief can even cause long-term mental health challenges, like depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and diminished coping skills.
- Emotional symptoms: Sadness, irritability, numbness, or mood swings are all common.
- Mental symptoms: Grief can cause difficulty concentrating, memory issues, what’s described as “brain fog,” and other cognitive challenges.
- Physical symptoms: Fatigue, insomnia, changes in appetite, or even physical pain can all be caused by grief.
EXPERT INSIGHTS
“Sometimes, there can be stigma or guilt related to employees feeling like they can grieve openly. When employees feel like others will minimize the loss they may feel like they can’t truly express their feelings around the loss. The more open a workplace is to providing comfort and a safe ear, the more the employee will be able to share their feelings and ask for assistance when needed.”
-Laura Magnuson, MA, MS, LAMFT, VP of Clinical Engagement
Impact on organizations
The consequences of unaddressed grief aren’t limited to employees within the workplace. Without bereavement systems in place, your organization will likely feel the impact when an employee is grieving.
Research from the Grief Recovery Institute (2003) estimated that unresolved grief in the workplace costs U.S. businesses $75 billion annually in lost productivity. That figure is undoubtedly much higher today. Failing to respond to grief appropriately can cause productivity loss, high rates of turnover, low employee engagement, and team conflict.
- Decreased productivity: Grieving employees are more likely to struggle to focus, make errors, and miss deadlines. The phenomenon is known as “presenteeism,” which describes employees who are physically at work but not able to fully function.
- Increased turnover: Grief may be a contributing factor to the “Great Resignation,” which has resulted in millions leaving their jobs due to reasons such as a lack of support when dealing with difficult life events, including death and the grief that follows.
- Reduced engagement: If employees feel undervalued or unsupported at work during their time of need, they might be less engaged and not as committed to your organization.
- Effects on culture: Grief often shifts team dynamics. It can cause decreased morale, increased workloads for colleagues, and awkwardness or avoidance as coworkers struggle to know how to respond.
How employers and managers can support grieving employees
Bereavement leave is an important benefit to offer, but supporting grieving employees takes more than just policy. You also need to promote empathy and understanding from management. Your leaders play a critical role in creating a safe space where grief is acknowledged and respected.
Offer immediate compassion and space
When an employee experiences a loss, they should be able to feel the compassion and space you provide them with. Avoid pressuring a grieving employee to share details before they’re ready. Reassure them that their feelings are valid and support is available. Sometimes, it’s as simple as just being present and willing to listen without judgment.
EXPERT INSIGHTS
“Managers can assist those experiencing grief by providing a safe space for the employee. That can look like many things, an ear and an open door to listen to what the person is experiencing and not being afraid to ask questions about how the person is feeling and managing. It can also be asking the employee what they need, are there accommodations that can be offered such as time off, picking up workloads, changing the type of work the person is doing, etc.”
-Laura Magnuson, MA, MS, LAMFT, VP of Clinical Engagement
Respect time off and bereavement leave
Every organization should have a bereavement leave policy. Some research suggests employees value it as one of the top five benefits companies can offer. To be effective, though, it’s important that bereavement policies aren’t limited in scope or duration. Many organizations allow just a few days off, but that’s often not enough time for an employee to process and deal with a significant loss in their life.
Review and, when possible, expand your bereavement leave policy to reflect the reality that grief is an ongoing process. Encourage employees to take as much time off as they need without fear of stigma or penalty.
Create a flexible return-to-work plan
When an employee returns to work after a loss, it can be overwhelming. You can help ease their transition by offering flexible return-to-work plans. Modified schedules, remote work options, and phased returns can all help employees gradually reintegrate into their roles.
No two grief journeys are the same, so a one-size-fits-all approach can’t adequately meet all people’s needs, especially as they return to their jobs. Checking in regularly, adjusting workloads as needed, and providing clear, reasonable expectations help employees regain their footing without adding even more stress to their workdays.
EXPERT INSIGHTS
“Managers can continue to ask how the employee is doing and remind of resources like an EAP or other services to assist with the grief. Managers can also acknowledge that they understand that the grief may come in waves at times unexpected and will continue to support as best they can.”
-Laura Magnuson, MA, MS, LAMFT, VP of Clinical Engagement
Train managers on handling grief
Without proper training, managers can feel unprepared to support grieving employees. This can cause awkward, unhealthy, or unhelpful interactions, even if they’re unintentional.
You can prevent this by offering grief awareness and communication training that helps managers respond with empathy and confidence. Look for courses that aim to help management:
- Understand the grieving process
- Support the bereavement process
- Recognize the signs of unacknowledged grief
- Know where to refer employees for resources
- Keep cultural and faith considerations in mind (grief expressions can vary widely for different cultures)
Extend support with mental health resources
Access to mental healthcare and resources is critical as employees navigate grief. Benefits packages should include grief counseling, therapy, and coaching. Whenever possible, offer both in-person and virtual care options. Increasing access to care means resources are available, ultimately reducing some of the traditional barriers to seeking help.
Normalize mental health support as a core part of your workplace culture. Extending support to families can be invaluable for grieving employees who also care for loved ones during this difficult time.
Encourage self-care
Self-care is essential for the healing process, but it’s often neglected when people are grieving. Encourage employees to rest, relax, exercise, stay social, and engage in hobbies they enjoy. Support boundaries, mental health days, flexible schedules, and access to wellness resources so employees can focus on well-being and healing.
Invest in supporting your employees through grief
Supporting grieving employees isn’t about just saying the right words. It’s about showing up, listening, making space, and providing the tools they need to heal. Remember, grief is ongoing, and reliable, sustained support is much more effective than a single gesture could ever be on its own.
From a business perspective, offering support is compassionate and strategic. It benefits employees and your bottom line. When people feel supported, they’re more likely to stay—and to return stronger than ever.
Talkspace provides accessible grief counseling and mental health support for both employees and management. Partner with us to offer your people the support they need to navigate any loss and return to work with resilience and hope. Request a demo today to learn more.
Sources:
- “Grief in the Workplace.” n.d. The Grief Recovery Method. https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/blog/2017/07/grief-workplace. Accessed June 13, 2025.
- Kapur, Kamakshi. 2025. “Examining The Quality of Life and Work Productivity Among Grieving Employees.” IJIP Journal 13 (2). https://doi.org/10.25215/1302.226. Accessed June 13, 2025.
- “The Value of Bereavement Leave: Behind the Numbers | Lean In.” n.d. Lean In. https://leanin.org/bereavement-at-work#!. Accessed June 13, 2025
