The death of a coworker can be harder than people
anticipate. Relationships in a workplace are layered with team building,
collaboration, and at times tensions. The work dynamic and the nature of your
relationship will influence your grief. Someone that you see daily and interact
with daily—more than your close friends probably—is now gone. This may
contribute to work stress, which may be hard to navigate because you do not know
their family, or your employer is expecting things to go on as normal. While
you may not be able to control your work environment, there are things you can
do to help with your grief.
Here are some things to consider:
- Engage
coworkers – give people the opportunity to share. Listening to others can
be helpful.
- Take time
outside of work – constraints put on you by the workplace may not give you
time to process this death or talk about it as openly as you would like to do
so. Find support within work and outside of work. Consider ways for your
coworkers to honor the person, such as joining a walk, supporting a charity,
having an annual event/gathering, or supporting the family to name a few.
- Reach out
to the family – family often wants to know their loved one mattered at the
place where they spent most of their time. Share your stories and listen to
theirs. Many families feel hurt when colleagues and employers don’t reach out.
- Encourage
conversations at work – not talking about it is not a helpful strategy.
Even if someone did not like the person who died, there are still feelings and
memories associated with that person. Some workplace cultures are out-of-date
when it comes to policies and communication, which can be an added stressor. Identify those who are willing to talk openly, share similar feelings
to you, and put value your grief. Chances are they’ll be grateful you initiated
a conversation.
- Exercise
– grief is not just an emotion. It comes with fatigue and other ailments.
Exercise is a healthy coping strategy if you’re able to do so.
Additional Resources
Option B
Tips for Supporting Grief in the Workplace by Good-Grief.org