08/10/2026
A colleague returns to the office on Monday morning after losing a close family member. Their statutory bereavement leave is finished, but their grief isn't. A lot of managers might wonder how best to support their team member, wanting to avoid saying the wrong thing but sometimes being at a loss for words beyond kind, but ultimately empty, platitudes. Here are some tips for how to make your colleagues feel supported in the workplace after loss:
1. Don't ask "how are you?" in passing. Most people aren't going to open up at work and expose their raw painful emotions. Instead, ask them if there are any tasks they're doing that could be reassigned or delayed or if they'd rather focus on other aspects of the job that might be more manageable for them.
2. Recognise that grief affects everyone differently but brain fog is a common symptom and energy levels can be low. The effects of grief can fluctuate over extended periods so try to be flexible with workloads and check in with your team member about the tasks they're able for.
3. If you have remote/hybrid workers, little things like telling them they can have their cameras off in big team meetings is one way of showing that their grief is acknowledged and you are willing to support even your remote workers who might feel isolated and forgotten about.
I can provide a workshop for your managers, team leaders, supervisors and HR, in-person or online, to help with navigating these transitions compassionately, sensitive to our culturally diverse teams, and in a trauma-informed way. I also do 1-1 private sessions online. Please feel free to check out my website (link in the comments or my bio) or feel free to DM me if you would like to host me at your workplace.
