Supporting Employees After Loss or Trauma

When a workplace receives news related to the serious illness or sudden death of a coworker or someone they worked with, the spectrum of emotions and variety of behaviors can leave management feeling confused about the best way to respond. When supporting your employees after loss or trauma, it’s crucial to understand how they may react and the proper ways to respond in these difficult situations.

Reactions to traumatic events, loss, or death

Employee reactions vary depending on factors such as age, cultural norms, spiritual beliefs, and closeness to the person who is sick or died. Loss and trauma impact the way people think, feel, react physically, or relate socially.

Typical reactions include:

• Sadness or crying
• Silent or withdrawn
• Disbelief
• Numbness
• Anger outbursts
• Disorganization
• Physical distress, such as fatigue or nausea
• Demanding more information
• Being shocked, confused, or dazed
• Appearing unaffected
• Blaming or being critical of leadership
• Having difficulty focusing

Most employees return to normal functioning following an incident of loss, but they may occasionally experience performance difficulties. Grieving employees may need help from a counselor to return to their everyday work routine. If needed, address specific job performance concerns and gently suggest they request a counseling appointment.

How to support your employees

Supportive responses by managers allow for individual reactions and validate the core human need for a sense of belonging. Compassionate and confident management responses during such times enable the workplace to stabilize and resume smooth operation.

Use the suggestions below to support your employees after a loss or traumatic event.

Understand that everyone grieves differently. Recovery takes time, and every person responds to loss in a unique way. Some grieving employees may be too numb or overwhelmed to communicate what they need. Inquire whether an employee has special needs such as privacy, reduced work hours, or help to catch up on their workload.

Maintain professionalism. Provide caring support and maintain professionalism to set a beneficial and long-lasting example for the team. Know that your role is not to manage feelings but to create an environment where work progresses as employees move through their feelings.

Acknowledge the impact that loss can have on your employees. Demonstrate that you understand this can be a difficult time. Showing that you understand and care will help boost your employees' morale. The wrong thing to say is nothing at all. A reassuring touch can also communicate care, but you should avoid touching someone without permission. Stay in touch with employees who must leave or have not yet returned to the workplace. Remember that holidays and anniversaries can be especially difficult times for a grieving person.

Communicate. Provide as much accurate information as you are authorized to give as soon as possible (regarding what happened, memorial arrangements, etc.), and assure staff that you will update them as you get more information.

Help your team take action if that is what they want. Your employees may want to take action to cope with the loss. Show that you care by helping them take certain actions. For example, collect money for flowers for the family, host a memorial potluck at work, or get a blank journal for staff to write memories in, then gift it to the deceased coworker’s family.

Remember to take care of yourself. This time can also be stressful for you as you try your best to set an example for your team. Always remember to prioritize self-care when you get overwhelmed. When you take care of yourself, you’re in a better state to take care of others.

Remember that EAP can help. Remind your employees of the confidential, no-cost benefit of seeing one of our counselors. Encourage them to request a counseling appointment to cope with the difficulties of loss or trauma. Request an HR & manager consultation if you think a counselor should talk to your entire team.