The process of grieving has been made even more challenging due to the circumstances of the past couple of years. Many people have suffered with the loss of a loved one during the pandemic, often in painful circumstances with the inability to visit or say goodbye due to restrictions and very reduced numbers being allowed at funerals.

These extremely challenging conditions have meant that many have been unable to fully grieve losing a relative, partner or friend.  Greif can effect people in very different and personal ways, including anxiety, exhaustion, anger and problems concentrating.

In 2021, Marie Curie discovered some shocking statistics about the impact of grief at work:

• 58% of employees feel their performance was affected by grief months after bereavement
• 54% of employees worried that talking time off after a bereavement would affect their job security
• 29% of employees were not confident in knowing what to say to a bereaved colleague
• 14% of HR professionals were not confident that would know what to say to a bereaved employee

Marie Curie, the UKs leading charity for care and support through terminal illness, has created a range of bereavement resources to provide employers with the tools they need to support people through bereavement.

Marie Curie has created an online bereavement toolkit which includes advice on how to support a bereaved employee, resources which educate readers on how best to understand grief as well as tips on how to create a compassionate culture in the workplace.

Small changes can make a big difference to people who are grieving at work, the guides and resources available through Marie Curie enable those suffering with loss to understand what they are experiencing and the best ways to cope. Resources, booklets, guides, and videos such as these are a fantastic way to ensure that anyone suffering with grief and bereavement feel normal and able to discuss their loss, as well as ways to remember their loved one.  

If your organisation requires assistance to support a bereaved employee, Marie Curie offers advice on how to create a bereavement policy, what to do when a member of staff dies, guides on the physical symptoms of grief, why we need to talk about anger in grief and what anticipatory grief is – as well as a range of other ways to have a more compassionate outlook on what to do in the workplace when someone is grieving.

For more information on the resources to help your organisation handle bereavement better in the workplace please visit mariecurie.org.uk/grief-at-work

Call Marie Curie for free on 0800 090 2309 to speak to a trained Support Line Officer or get ongoing support from a bereavement volunteer.