BEREAVEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

Regardless of whether or not a workplace is prepared for helping bereaving employees, grief is an issue workers will either experience on the job or bring to the job due to:

• the illness or death of a colleague
• the death or illness of a family member or a friend
• losses associated with downsizing or reorganization

Responses to grief may include "mental lapses, decreased energy, difficulty in making decisions, anxiety, helplessness, an inability to concentrate and preoccupation" (Eyetsemitan 1998:469). Other reactions may involve social withdrawal, crying or other seemingly inappropriate workplace behaviour (Eyetsemitan: 469).

The Conflict Between Personal Reactions to Grief and Professional Expectations

There is an expectation that workers will continue to act in an appropriately professional manner even if they have been bereaved. Rowling (1995) explored this duality of personal and professional roles among a sample of Australian teachers. Teachers have a professional belief in the need to control their emotions, to be in control of a situation, and to provide leadership (Rowling 321). However, this demand for professionalism is counteracted by personal responses to grief. This conflict is not unique to teachers but may also be seen among workers in other helping professions, e.g. police officers, health care workers or clergy.

Employers often underestimate the effect of an illness or death on workers around the bereaved person. Employers may not
understand or recognize:

• the extent to which employees form emotional attachments with one another. In some cases, friendships with co-workers can be more important than familial relationships.
• problems associated with grief, e.g. absenteeism or
  personal conflict may surface months after the loss.
• the grief process.

Strategies for Helping Bereaved Workers

A 1994 study indicated illness or a death in the family are the second most common problems which affect workplace
performance (Naierman 1996: 20). The costs of employee grief can be quite significant especially if the response from an employer is inappropriate or inadequate. Employers can do many things to help bereaved staff including:

• Offering concrete and specific help. Often, the newly bereaved are too overwhelmed to know what they need
  (Naierman: 21). They may require information on bereavement leave, benefit entitlements (Morell,
  p. 2), and paperwork associated with final pay cheques, medical claims or life insurance policies (Kodanaz, p. 3-4).
• Being flexible about time-off especially in the first year after bereavement. Some employees will require more leave than the company bereavement policy allows.
• Redistributing those parts of the bereaved employee's job which must be done. Eliminating the pressure to perform is one way of demonstrating support for a grieving employee (Kodanaz, p.1-2). At the same time, the
  employer must be aware of the additional strain this can create for other staff who temporarily or permanently
  take on new duties.
• Recognizing some employees may return to work too quickly to avoid dealing with their grief (Eyetsemitan:
  472). In the long-term, this method of coping is counterproductive as it can lead to complicated grief reactions.

The Conflict Between Personal Reactions to Grief and Professional Expectations
There is an expectation that workers will continue to act in an
appropriately professional manner even if they have been
bereaved. Rowling (1995) explored this duality of personal
and professional roles among a sample of Australian teachers. Teachers have a professional belief in the need to control their emotions, to be in control of a situation, and to provide leadership (Rowling 321). However, this demand for professionalism is counteracted by personal responses to
grief. This conflict is not unique to teachers but may also be
seen among workers in other helping professions, e.g. police
officers, health care workers or clergy.