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There are many times when managers need to support their employees. Whether you are looking for the best ways to help working parents balance their job and their parental responsibilities, or you need to offer help for one of your new employees still getting to grips with the job role. This type of support is vital and often expected, and you can usually take steps to provide such support before it becomes a significant issue.
However, there are other times when support is still necessary. These are less common and could be following an injury or when your employee experiences burnout. Another aspect is grief. As the years go by, you can expect that your employees will encounter death in their families, and when this happens you must be there for them.
Send Them Flowers
Sending sympathy flowers is arguably the first step you should do once your employee calls you to tell you that they cannot make it to work today or requests leave for a funeral. While some employees may not want to burden you with their grief, those that tell you should know that you – and the rest of the office – is thinking of them.
Flowers are a small yet powerful gesture, and you can send them to their house or another house with a note announcing your condolences. At the very least, this will make them feel like they have the support they need in dark times.
Give Them Enough Time
The current trend around managers understanding employee wellbeing means that you should give them enough time, even past their initial compassionate leave. Even if your employee returns to work quickly, you should still allow them some time to readjust to working, especially as you know they may not be able to focus as much.
Everyone grieves differently, so it’s worth taking a step back and not intruding on any boundaries. You can check in with them when they return to work but make it clear that they do not need to be there if they don’t have to. If there is work to be done, the rest of the team should be happy to pick up the slack, or your grieving employee can work from home.
Ask If They Need Assistance
Some people do not want to push their grief onto others, so they may not ask for help even if they need it. But, rather than force your help on them, you can ask if they need assistance. Organizing funerals, wills, and other issues following a death can be overwhelming, so your offer could reduce their stress.
You can prepare food to deliver to the (or have another employee do the same). You can also research services found on https://www.memorials.com, which offers a wide range of keepsakes and other items like urns and jewelry that may be too difficult for your employee to face right now.
Don’t Rely On Cliches
Everything happens for a reason, This too shall pass, or You need to stay busy to keep your mind off it are all common things people say to grieving people. But, aside from often sounding insensitive, they are also cliches that have lost all meaning.
Most of the time, the best thing to say is nothing at all besides your initial condolences. Do not force them to speak to you but make it clear that your door is open if they need to speak to you or someone else, especially a grief counselor.
Make Their Return to Work Comfortable
Whether they return to work after a few days, a week, or a month, you must make their return to work as comfortable as possible. They will be well aware that everyone knows why they have been away from the office, and this could make them feel self-conscious.
Welcome them back to the office without dwelling on what happened, at least not publicly. Arrange a quick catch-up to see how they are and how they feel so they do not feel so overwhelmed with the attention that they may not want.
Develop a Project Plan
Some people prefer to dive back into work as soon as possible because they think it will distract them from their grief. Others may struggle to get going again as they can’t think of anything but their grief. A project plan can balance everything, and will prevent them from overworking but also struggling to be productive.
Do not assign new work, but rather let them catch up on emails or anything they may have missed over the last few days or weeks. This can help them re-integrate into the office and enables them to rebuild their momentum.
Don’t Expect Too Much Too Soon
Just because someone seems okay on the outside does not mean they are okay on the inside. Because of this, you mustn’t expect too much too soon. They may seem fine working with others and leading meetings, but one small thing could shake them a little too much. You should be able to trust them to tell you if they aren’t doing their best, and you can avoid any issues by offering straightforward tasks that make their return to work feel more manageable.
Treat Them As Normal (As Possible)
It can feel impossible to treat people normally after a loss, and many will simply try to avoid the subject (and eye contact) altogether. However, this is the worst thing you can do as it makes your employee feel isolated. It will be challenging but strive to maintain the same relationship you had beforehand. Try not to coddle them or act as if they are wrapped in cotton wool. They have certain expectations about their role, so do your best to help them maintain this.
Being There
As natural as death is, it is still not something anyone is really prepared for. As a manager, you should know the best ways to support your grieving employees. It may seem like they are just a team member, but in times such as this, any support can mean the world to them, and it helps them adjust to the sudden change in their life.
