Welcome back, Humanness Heroes. In our last post, we delved into the stark disparities between a typical corporate approach and a more human-centric approach to handling the death of a colleague. We recounted the tale of how Silverline Engineering initially coped with the sudden loss of their colleague, John, with a distant, impersonal reaction that resulted in significant emotional strain and decreased productivity among the team. This situation sparked a crucial summit, where team members voiced their grievances and contributed to formulating a new, human-centric approach. When another colleague, Lisa, passed away a year and a half later, Silverline Engineering put this new approach into action, leading to a more compassionate and supportive experience for the team and instilling hope and reassurance in their hearts.

Today, we continue this conversation by providing a practical toolkit that workplaces can use to navigate these challenging situations with compassion and support, emphasizing a Humanness approach.

Recognizing and handling the death of a colleague with empathy is not just a matter of maintaining team morale, productivity, and overall workplace culture. It’s about understanding and valuing the emotional well-being of our team members. By fostering an environment where grief is not only recognized but also supported, we can build stronger, more resilient teams, making our employees feel understood and valued.

The Importance of a Humanness Approach in Handling Grief

A Humanness approach to handling the death of a colleague is essential for several reasons as follows:

1. It Recognizes Emotional Impact: The death of a colleague is not just a logistical issue to be managed; it’s a profound emotional event that affects everyone on the team. Ignoring or minimizing this emotional impact can lead to increased stress, decreased productivity, and long-term adverse effects on team cohesion. Acknowledging the emotional weight of the situation and providing appropriate support can help team members process their grief and begin to heal (Webster 1).
2. It Provides Necessary Support: Team members need support to navigate their grief in the immediate aftermath of a colleague’s death. This includes practical support, such as flexible leave policies and workload adjustments, and emotional support, such as access to grief counselling and open conversations about grief. As an organization, providing this support demonstrates that we value our employees’ well-being and are committed to helping them through difficult times, making them feel supported and cared for.
3. It Fosters a Compassionate Workplace Culture: A Humanness approach helps create a workplace culture where empathy and compassion are central values. This kind of culture not only supports team members during times of loss but also contributes to a more positive and supportive work environment overall. Employees who feel cared for and supported are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and loyal to the organization.
4. It Enhances Team Resilience and Cohesion: Teams that navigate loss with empathy and support are often stronger and more cohesive as a result. Shared experiences of grief and support can bring team members closer together, fostering a sense of unity and mutual trust. This enhanced resilience and cohesion can improve overall team performance and help the team navigate future challenges more effectively.
5. It Improves Organizational Reputation and Client Relationships: An organization that handles the death of a colleague with empathy and support demonstrates its commitment to valuing its employees. This can enhance the organization’s reputation as a compassionate and supportive employer, which can aid in attracting and retaining top talent. Additionally, transparent and empathetic communication with clients about such situations can strengthen client relationships and foster greater understanding and flexibility.

Toolkit for Handling the Death of a Colleague

Navigating the death of a colleague is one of the most challenging situations a workplace can face. To support employees and maintain a compassionate work environment, it is essential to adopt a Humanness approach.

This toolkit provides practical steps and strategies that prioritize empathy and support, ensuring that both the team’s emotional needs and the project’s practical demands are addressed effectively. By implementing these practices, workplaces can create a resilient and supportive atmosphere that honours the memory of the deceased while fostering a sense of unity and strength among the team.

Personalized and Empathetic Communication

1. Immediate Gathering: Share the news in a supportive, in-person meeting led by a team leader, allowing for immediate emotional expression and support.
2. Follow-Up Communication: Regularly update the team with new information and provide channels for continuous dialogue and support.

Flexible and Extended Bereavement Leave

1. Customized Leave Policies: Offer flexible bereavement leave options that extend beyond the standard 3-5 days, recognizing individuals’ varied needs (Mallick 2).
2. No Proof Required: Allow employees to take leave for various types of losses without requiring proof of death (Mallick 2)

Immediate and Ongoing Emotional Support

1. Access to Counseling: Provide immediate access to grief counselling services and support groups through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
2. Immediate Empathy Support for Managers: In the immediate term, following the occurrence of loss, equip managers with immediate training to handle grief-related conversations empathetically, ensuring they can offer genuine support (Moss 3).

Adjustment of Workloads and Deadlines

1. Workload Redistribution: Redistribute tasks among team members to relieve the burden on those directly affected by the loss.
2. Flexible Deadlines: Adjust project timelines in consultation with clients, explaining the situation to ensure their understanding and support.

Cultural Sensitivity and Memorials

1. Inclusive Ceremonies: Implement culturally sensitive rituals and gestures to honour the deceased, such as memory walls, shared stories, or a memorial service (Dance 4).
2. Team Participation: Encourage team members to contribute to these memorials, fostering a collective sense of closure and remembrance (Moss 3).

Open Conversations About Grief

1. Normalize Grief Discussions: Create a culture where talking about grief is normalized and encouraged. Regular team meetings can include check-ins about how everyone is coping.
2. Peer Support Networks: Establish peer support networks within the team to provide ongoing emotional support (Dance 4).

Long-Term Support Structures

1. Regular Check-Ins: Conduct regular check-ins with grieving employees, recognizing that grief is a long-term process (Moss 3).
2. Acknowledging Significant Dates: Be mindful of significant dates related to the deceased, such as anniversaries or birthdays, and provide additional support during these times (Moss 4).

Transparency with Clients

1. Open Communication: Be transparent with clients about the situation, explaining the impact on the project team and seeking their understanding and flexibility.
2. Demonstrate Care: Show that the team is managing the project with care and respect for the grieving process, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to humanness.

Leadership Support and Training

1. Personal Counseling Services: Provide leaders with access to personal grief counselling services to help them process their own emotions.
2. Empathy and Communication Training: In the months following, offer long-term, ongoing, specialized training for leaders on how to communicate empathetically with their teams, manage grief-related conversations, and provide emotional support (Moss 3).
3. Delegation and Task Management Tools: Implement a system where leaders can temporarily delegate some of their responsibilities to trusted colleagues, allowing them to focus on providing support and managing their own grief.

Some Parting Thoughts…

Navigating the death of a colleague is an incredibly challenging and sensitive process. There is often a temptation to “get things over with quickly” and move forward, but this approach can neglect the profound emotional impact on the team. Embracing a more empathetic, Humanness-centered approach, as we saw in the last post, Humanness in The Face of Death and this post, can make a significant difference.

This toolkit was created with the understanding that teams facing such loss need more than just policies; they need genuine support and compassion. By adopting these practices, you can foster a supportive and resilient environment that honours the memory of the deceased and provides your team with the care they need to heal and move forward together.

Remember, you are not alone in this journey. Resources like this Humanness toolkit are here to support you in recognizing and navigating the complexities of grief and the importance of empathy in the workplace. Together, we can do so with grace and compassion.

Looking ahead, our next post will focus on how embracing Humanness leads to smoother change management. We will explore how understanding human responses to change makes managing transitions more effortless and meaningful. Stay tuned for insights on how to navigate change with empathy and effectiveness.

References:

1. Dr Bill Webster. N.D. Grief In the Workplace. Tallman Funeral Homes Limited. https://tallmanfuneralhomes.ca/6/Grief-in-the-Workplace.html          
2. Mita Mallick. October 5, 2020. It’s Time to Rethink Corporate Bereavement Policies. Harvard Business Review. Digital Article. https://hbr.org/2020/10/its-time-to-rethink-corporate-bereavement-policies                    
3. Jennifer Moss. June 6, 2017. Making Your Workplace Safe for Grief. Harvard Business Review. Digital Article. https://hbr.org/2017/06/making-your-workplace-safe-for-grief   
4. Arielle Dance. November 5, 2020. Working Through the Death of a Colleague. Harvard Business Review. Digital Article. https://hbr.org/2020/11/working-through-the-death-of-a-colleague