It’s almost inevitable that someone on your team will experience a loss at some point in their career. Death, illness, and personal hardships are part of life, but navigating grief in the workplace can be incredibly challenging—for the grieving employee, their coworkers, and their manager. Employees often struggle to balance work responsibilities with emotional pain, while colleagues may feel unsure of how to express sympathy without overstepping.
Supporting someone through grief starts with everyday empathy. Emtrain’s microlesson Helping a Coworker on a Bad Day gives employees the skills to listen without judgment, offer appropriate support, and respond with emotional intelligence when a colleague is struggling—whether it’s grief, stress, or a hard moment.
While we cannot prevent loss, we can build a culture that reduces additional stress and supports employees through their most difficult moments. Below are four meaningful ways to help a grieving employee at work, along with practical steps leaders can take to foster empathy, flexibility, and care.
1. Recognize That Grief Takes Many Forms
Most people associate grief solely with the death of a loved one, but employees can grieve for many different reasons. Personal experiences such as the diagnosis of a serious illness, miscarriage, infertility struggles, divorce, or major life transitions can all trigger deep feelings of loss.
When leaders recognize that grief extends beyond bereavement, they create space for employees to be honest about their emotions without fear of judgment. Broadening your understanding of what grief looks like allows managers and teammates to provide more thoughtful, individualized support.
2. Provide Compassionate Leave Options (Including Bereavement and FMLA)
Strengthen Bereavement Leave
Nearly 90% of companies offer some type of bereavement leave, typically between 3–5 days. While well-intentioned, this standard window is rarely enough time for an employee to process a major loss, attend services, handle family responsibilities, and emotionally recover.
Some organizations have adopted more compassionate approaches—such as extended paid leave, counseling resources, or Employee Assistance Funds that provide financial support for funeral or medical costs. Even small changes, like flexibility in scheduling or easing workload expectations during the transition back to work, can make a meaningful difference.
Understand FMLA Leave for Grief and Mental Health
In addition to bereavement leave, it’s important for employers and employees to understand how the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may support someone navigating grief. FMLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for serious health conditions—including mental health conditions that may arise after a traumatic loss.
If grief leads to depression, anxiety, or other medical challenges that interfere with daily functioning, the employee may qualify for FMLA leave or intermittent leave for therapy, treatment, or medical appointments. Making this option clear helps ensure employees don’t feel pressured to “push through” their grief and return at full capacity before they are ready.
By openly discussing all available leave options, managers demonstrate genuine care and reinforce that psychological well-being is just as important as physical health.
3. Communicate Thoughtfully and Respectfully About the Loss
Grief is uncomfortable. Many people instinctively avoid talking about death or hardship at work because they fear saying the wrong thing. But avoiding the topic altogether can unintentionally make a grieving employee feel invisible or isolated.
A thoughtful conversation—led privately by the manager—can help set compassionate boundaries and expectations. Consider asking:
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Would you like to take time off, or would you prefer to maintain your normal routine?
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How much would you like your coworkers to know?
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Are there ways the team can support you during this time?
Everyone grieves differently. Some employees may want space and privacy, while others appreciate acknowledgment, a card, or simple check-ins. Clear communication ensures support aligns with the individual’s needs rather than assumptions.
4. Build a Workplace Culture of Care and Support
Supporting a grieving coworker becomes much easier when the organization already fosters a culture grounded in empathy and psychological safety. Encouraging employees to check in with one another, creating shared spaces where people can decompress, and modeling emotionally intelligent leadership all help build an authentic and supportive workplace culture of care long before loss occurs.
Practical ways to strengthen a culture of care include:
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Opening team meetings with a quick “pulse check” or emotional temperature read
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Offering virtual or in-person spaces to connect beyond work tasks
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Providing managers with training on emotional intelligence and inclusive leadership
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Normalizing the use of mental health resources without stigma
Small, consistent practices reinforce that the company values employees as whole people—not just contributors to a workload.
Final Thoughts
Grief is deeply personal, unpredictable, and often long-lasting. When organizations offer flexible leave options, communicate with compassion, and build strong cultures of care, they help employees navigate loss without feeling overwhelmed, judged, or forgotten. Supporting a grieving employee isn’t just about policies—it’s about humanity.
For more information on how Emtrain can help nurture a more empathetic and resilient workplace culture, contact us
