Grief In The Workplace

Helping organisations support grief with confidence, compassion and practical guidance.

Supporting grief at work matters

Grief does not end when someone returns to work.

Employees may experience changes in:

🧠 concentration and decision-making
💬 communication and confidence
🌱 wellbeing and energy
🔄 ability to manage everyday routines

A compassionate workplace recognises that grief is a human experience – not something someone simply leaves at the door.

Our toolkits help provide the support your grieving employee needs…

Our practical workplace toolkits help managers, HR teams and organisations support grieving employees with more confidence, compassion and clarity.

Each toolkit includes four short video guides…

🧩 Video one – difficulties in grief
Understand that everyone experiences grief differently and learn how to create supportive, inclusive spaces.

💬 Video two – supportive conversations
Develop confidence in listening, responding with empathy, and having meaningful conversations about loss.

🚧 Video three – barriers to talking about grief
Recognise why grief can be difficult to discuss and how workplaces can make conversations safer.

🗣️ Video four – why language matters
Learn how compassionate language can validate grief and help people feel understood.

💬 “How do I support someone at work who’s grieving – especially if they’re not ready to talk?”

This is one of the most common questions we hear.

🎥 In this video, Erin shares reflections from over 15 years supporting bereaved individuals – and what she’s learned from working with organisations who want to do better.

Understanding grief models

Grief models are frameworks that help us understand some of the common thoughts, feelings, and experiences people may encounter after a loss.

Employees may experience changes in:

They are not rules or a timeline for grief, but different perspectives that help us understand experiences of loss and support people with greater compassion.

🧩 Stages and experiences of grief
Explore how early theories described grief responses and how our understanding has developed.

🤝 Attachment and relationships
Understand how the bonds we form with others influence the way we experience loss.

⚖️ Coping and adapting after bereavement
Discover models that look at how people move between grief and adjusting to life.

🌱 Resilience and meaning-making
Learn how people find ways to adapt, rebuild, and continue their lives while carrying loss.

Workplace grief guides

Practical answers to common questions about grief at work

When someone experiences a bereavement, both employees and employers can face uncertainty about what happens next.

Our workplace guides provide clear, practical information to help navigate grief in the workplace:

🕊️ Bereavement leave and workplace rights
Understand what employees and employers need to know about time off, policies, and returning after a loss.

🤝 Supporting grieving colleagues
Learn how to offer support, what to say, and how to avoid common mistakes when someone is grieving.

🔄 Returning to work after bereavement
Explore how workplaces can approach the transition back with flexibility, understanding, and care.

💬 Conversations about grief at work
Build confidence around talking about loss and creating safer, more supportive workplace cultures.

^^^ A study of 2,000 individuals (commissioned by CPJ Field) revealed that grieving employees are not being supported at work, both immediately following a death and in the weeks beforehand.