It's Okay to Feel: Supporting Your Team Through Grief
Grief is a universal experience that impacts everyone at some point in their lives, yet workplaces often struggle to acknowledge and support employees going through it. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or even the significant life shifts that come with career changes, grief doesn’t follow a timeline or a rulebook.
As leaders, colleagues, and humans, we must do better at recognising grief in all its forms and making space for it in professional settings.
The Multifaceted Nature of Grief
The COVID-19 pandemic may feel like a distant memory for some, but it was a defining period of collective loss. It wasn’t just about losing people; it was about losing stability, routine, and a sense of normality. It was a global human experiment that forced us all to confront grief in ways we hadn’t before.
Many of us mourned aspects of life we took for granted, careers that didn’t survive the shift, relationships that fractured under pressure or the simple comfort of daily human connection. These types of grief are just as real as bereavement, and they deserve acknowledgment.
As Katie Piper aptly put it,
"It's not about being strong and positive in traumatic and sad times. Allowing yourself to be unhappy or angry is an important part of the grieving process."
Ignoring or suppressing grief doesn’t make it go away; it only pushes the pain into a deeper, more unmanageable space.
Bringing Humanity Back to the Workplace
For too long, emotions have been considered a workplace liability rather than a reality of life. Grief is inconvenient. It’s unpredictable. But that doesn’t mean it should be hidden away or ignored. Employees don’t stop grieving just because they’re at work, and pretending otherwise only creates a culture of isolation and silence.
Workplaces that acknowledge grief foster loyalty, psychological safety, and stronger team connections. It’s time for leaders to create environments where employees feel supported, rather than pressured to ‘move on’.
Practical Ways to Support Grieving Employees
Acknowledge the loss – A simple "I'm so sorry for what you're going through" can mean more than you think. Silence often feels like avoidance.
Offer flexibility – Whether it’s adjusting workloads, providing extended leave, or offering remote work options, small accommodations can make a big difference.
Create space for conversation – Some people want to talk about their grief, others don’t. Make it clear that both are okay.
Provide mental health resources – Partner with organisations that specialise in grief support and ensure employees know where to turn.
Train managers to lead with empathy – Many managers don’t know what to say or do when an employee is grieving. Providing guidance can help them offer meaningful support.
A Culture of Compassion
Grief is not a problem to be fixed. It’s an experience to be acknowledged.
By creating workplaces that allow people to feel and process their emotions without fear of judgment, we build healthier, more resilient teams.
Let’s stop pretending grief doesn’t exist at work because it does, and it always will.
Resources
The Self Space: A contemporary mental health service offering therapy to individuals and organisations. Their podcast, Not Suitable for Work, explores unspoken workplace matters, including grief. theselfspace.com
Cruse Bereavement Support: Helping people navigate bereavement with resources, information, and campaigning. cruse.org.uk
The Grief Gang Podcast: Normalising the conversation around grief by sharing honest discussions about grief and loss.. thegriefgang.com
Nora McInerny's Teachings: Insights on embracing grief and avoiding toxic positivity. Her podcast, Terrible, Thanks For Asking, allows real people to share honest experiences of grief sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and often both. noraborealis.com
By integrating these practices and resources, we can transform our workplaces into environments that truly support and understand the multifaceted nature of grief.