Dealing with Profound Grief in the Workplace: Why It Matters — and How to Support a Returning Colleague

Grief isn’t something people leave behind at home. When someone in your organization suffers a major loss — a spouse, partner, child, parent — their return to work marks a fragile period. Without the right structures and culture, both the person and the team suffer. But when grief is acknowledged and supported, it can foster loyalty, resilience, and deeper compassion.

What the Data Tells Us

According to the New York Life Foundation’s State of Grief report:

• 50% of adults have experienced the death of someone close while working for their current employer.

• Only half of those people used their company’s bereavement leave policy.

• Of those who experienced a loss, about 34% felt “very supported” by their company, another 33% “somewhat supported.” That leaves a significant percentage who feel “not very” or “not at all” supported.

• Employees overwhelmingly want their workplace to do better

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Compassion isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s also a financial one. Unsupported grief takes a measurable toll on organizations:

• U.S. businesses lose an estimated $75 to $225 billion each year in lost productivity tied to unsupported grief.

• Grieving employees miss, on average, 30 workdays annually beyond formal bereavement leave.

• Productivity doesn’t just drop during absences: presenteeism — when employees are physically present but unable to function at full capacity — can reduce output by a third or more.

• Turnover rises when employees feel unseen. Replacing a single worker costs anywhere from 50–150% of annual salary once recruiting, training, and lost institutional knowledge are factored in.

In other words, failing to support a bereaved colleague doesn’t just hurt morale — it hurts retention, efficiency, and ultimately, the bottom line.

What Workplaces Can Do: Best Practices for Supporting Someone Returning from Profound Loss

Here are concrete steps organizations can take:

• Flexible Bereavement Leave: More than just a fixed number of days; allow time spread over months so a grieving person can manage immediate and ongoing needs.

• Clear Communication & Manager Training: Managers rather than HR being prepared to have conversations, check in, offer support, and adjust expectations.

• Task Deferment / Workload Adjustments: Allow deadlines to shift, temporarily lighten load, or delegate tasks to ease reentry.

• Peer & Team Support: Educate colleagues on how to respond, whether through cards, listening, or simply acknowledging the loss.

• Resources & Guidance: Provide grief guides, external counseling referrals, financial assistance if needed, and tools for both the employee and for the team.

How I Can Help: Preparing Your Team for a Colleague’s Return

When someone in your workplace suffers a profound loss, the hardest moment often isn’t the funeral — it’s the day they walk back through the door. Too often, colleagues want to help but feel uncertain or awkward. Silence and avoidance can make the returning employee feel even more isolated.

That’s where I can help. I offer preparatory sessions for teams before a bereaved colleague returns to work. In these sessions:

• My husband and I share our own story of grief and returning to work.

• We talk honestly about what the person may be experiencing emotionally and practically.

• We open the space for your team to ask questions and voice concerns about “what to say” or “what to do.”

The goal isn’t to provide a script — it’s to create understanding, compassion, and readiness. When employees feel equipped, they can welcome their colleague back with humanity rather than hesitation. That kind of culture makes a lasting difference — not only for the person in grief, but for the entire workplace community. 

Email me at susie@williamsbeyourselfchallenge.org if you want to connect.