The business case for better bereavement support

For employees who are facing the loss of a loved one, bereavement support is a lifeline that allows them to process grief as well as attend to the tasks that follow — which typically amount to hundreds of hours over months, even years.

But employees are not the only ones who benefit. Better bereavement policies — which include leave, plus other structures of support — offer business value for employers as well.

When employees are overwhelmed with grief and the logistics of settling their loved one’s affairs, something has to give. And often it’s work performance.

While bereavement support policies may seem costly in the short term, they are far better than the alternative: burnt out and disgruntled employees.

On the other hand, when employees feel adequately prepared and supported, there is a ripple effect across the workplace, enabling teams to continuously produce quality work.

For this reason, workplaces that have well-thought-out, built-in grief and bereavement support are more likely to experience long-term growth and increased productivity. Here’s how to get started.

Support the whole team

In a given year, nearly 20% of your workforce will be grieving a recent loss, Empathy’s 2022 Cost of Dying report revealed. And any colleague’s traumatic loss doesn’t just affect that person.

A workforce can be stretched thin when one team member is unable to work at full capacity. What’s more, in a culture that views death as taboo, being confronted with it can strain communication and create anxiety among the entire group.

For these reasons, it’s important not only to have a plan for the grieving employee, but also to have one for the rest of the team in their absence.

When everything changes in an instant, a clear, well-thought-out plan makes all the difference — and it’s important to communicate that plan as soon as possible to minimize any confusion, resentment, or stress.

Create a culture of care

Most importantly, having a proactive plan and a grief infrastructure in place creates peace of mind across the organization.

Employees will know that if they experience a loss, they will be able to take bereavement leave and not worry about the job during that time — then come back to work when they can be efficient and productive again.

This is crucial because grief can easily lead to burnout if the employee does not take the time to process the deep experience of loss.

Often, this employee, commonly a top performer, is less engaged when they return to the office. And low engagement is correlated with turnover rates that are 18% to 43% higher than those of highly engaged teams.

When staff members take the time they need to recover from a traumatic loss, everyone wins.

Give your leaders the tools they need

More often than not, employers don’t have the right resources or systems in place to support an employee through this difficult time. Instead of scrambling to address the needs of a colleague in crisis, prepare ahead of time.

You can start small. For example, create an email template for communicating the news to the rest of the company, and standardize the gifts, flower arrangements, and plants that your company sends to employees’ families, to streamline the process for managers.

Then, give your managers the power to offer flexible non-consecutive PTO, work-from-home options, or a reduced schedule during an employee’s transition back to the office.

Company-wide, expand partner discounts or other subsidies with bereaved employees in mind: child care and pet care professionals, house cleaners, probate lawyers, tax accountants, real estate agents, and more.

And by adding empathy to your benefits package, you give your employees comprehensive support for navigating grief and settling their loved one’s affairs — everything from planning the funeral and writing the obituary to settling debts and paying taxes.

Prepare your managers to lead in a crisis

It is essential to prepare your company’s leaders to build resilient, productive teams that know how to support each other, from the initial emergency through the long-term struggle with grief and the logistics of loss.

Don’t wait for a crisis. Make grief training a part of management training, so that managers are ready to offer tools and resources to bereaved employees, as well as to the rest of the team in their absence.

Related: Can bereaved employees bring their ‘whole selves’ to work/?

How your organization shows up for an employee on the worst day of their life will be remembered for a long time. Thus, this is an opportunity to express your values and humanity as a company.

As employers rethink their relationships with their employees, companies’ bereavement support is long overdue for an overhaul. Facing the issue head-on with thoughtful policies for effective bereavement support is a win-win, both for your business and the welfare of your team.

Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO of Empathy