Beyond Bereavement Leave: What Organizations Need to Support Grieving Employees
Grief doesn't stop when employees return to work. Yet many organizations struggle to translate their bereavement policies into meaningful, ongoing support.
To better understand how workplaces are responding to employee grief, Peer Support Community Partners (PSCP) surveyed organizational leaders across multiple sectors, exploring current practices, common challenges, and opportunities to create more grief-informed workplaces.
Our new report, Beyond Bereavement Leave: What Organizations Need to Support Grieving Employees, shares key findings from this exploratory survey and offers recommendations for strengthening workplace grief support.
Download the free report to explore what organizations are doing, where gaps remain, and how workplaces can better support grieving employees.
What Did We Learn?
Grief is present in every workplace, but the systems designed to support grieving employees don't always address their ongoing needs.
Our survey of 20 organizations across 10 sectors revealed several important findings:
75%
Reported that grief is at least somewhat visible within their organization.
35%
Reported having structured return-to-work planning.
55%
Rated managers as at least somewhat confident in supporting grieving employees.
20
Organizations participated, representing 10 different sectors.
What's Inside the Report?
This free report explores the realities of workplace grief and offers insights to help organizations strengthen their approach to supporting grieving employees.
Inside, you'll discover:
How grief shows up in the workplace: Why grief may remain invisible even when employees are struggling.
Where existing policies fall short: Why bereavement leave and employee assistance programs are important but may not be enough.
The challenges of returning to work: How grief can affect concentration, communication, and workload management.
Why managers need support, too: Common uncertainties supervisors face when responding to grieving employees.
Opportunities for organizational improvement: Recommendations for manager training, communication, peer support, return-to-work planning, and policy review.
Whether your organization is just beginning to think about workplace grief or looking to strengthen existing practices, this report offers a starting point for meaningful conversations and action.
Who Is This Report For?
This report is designed for anyone interested in creating a more compassionate and grief-informed workplace, including:
Human resources professionals and people leaders
Managers, supervisors, and organizational executives
Employee wellness and employee assistance professionals
Organizational development and workplace culture specialists
Nonprofit, healthcare, education, and community organization leaders
Grief affects every workplace. Building the capacity to respond thoughtfully benefits employees, teams, and organizations as a whole.
Take the Next Step Toward a Grief-Informed Organization
At Peer Support Community Partners, we believe that supporting grieving employees requires more than policies alone. It requires a workplace culture where grief is understood, acknowledged, and met with compassion.
We partner with organizations to develop practical, evidence-informed approaches to grief support through training, consultation, policy review, peer support initiatives, and resource development.
Whether you're looking to equip managers with grief-response skills, strengthen bereavement practices, or create a more supportive workplace culture, PSCP can help.
Interested in learning more?
Contact us at support@peersupportcommunitypartners.com to explore how we can support your organization.