Workplace Grief Doesn’t End When Bereavement Leave Does

How Organizations Can Support Employees with Ongoing, Practical Care

Workplace grief is far more common than most organizations realize, and it does not end when bereavement leave ends. The effects of loss can continue to show up in focus, energy, attendance, relationships at work, and an employee’s sense of whether their workplace truly cares.

I’ve seen again and again that leaders often want to help, but they aren’t sure what to do after the first week, so support becomes a one-time gesture instead of a steady presence. This guide is designed for HR leaders and people managers who want practical, workplace-appropriate ways to support employees after bereavement leave ends, without overstepping, avoiding the topic, or relying on vague good intentions.

Key numbers (why this matters)

• Nearly 1 in 4 employees may be grieving at any given time.
• The American Psychiatric Association has reported grief costs U.S. employers approximately $75 billion annually in lost productivity (absenteeism, presenteeism, impaired performance).
• 56% of employees would consider leaving their employer if treated poorly following a bereavement.

If you’d like a simple way to extend care beyond bereavement leave,Corporate Partnerships provides a year of support and can fit naturally into an employee benefits approach.

Why Workplace Grief Support Matters After Bereavement Leave Ends

Bereavement leave is a start, not a finish line. 

Many employees return to work while still in the most difficult phase of grief, and the support gap often shows up right when they need consistency most.

When organizations support employees through grief in a sustained way, it can strengthen engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty. When support is weak or inconsistent, it can contribute to absenteeism, lower morale, and turnover risk. 

The message employees take away is simple: do you still care once the policy ends?

Clare Dodd, UK general manager at Empathy, emphasizes that workplace wellbeing has evolved, and standard policies alone are not enough. Organizations have a clear opportunity to step in with bereavement support that is both practical and genuinely human-centered.

What this looks like in practice is not complicated, but it does require intention.

What Ongoing Workplace Support Looks Like in Practice

Effective grief support does not rely on perfect words or dramatic gestures. It relies on consistency.

That includes:

• Managers who check in more than once, and who check in without pressure
• Flexible options that reduce load during high-grief periods
• Clear scripts that help leaders respond with confidence and care
• A plan for milestones and sensitive dates
• Access to resources (EAP, counseling options, referrals)

Organizations can build this kind of consistency internally, and some choose structured support options through services like Corporate Partnerships, which can help formalize ongoing care beyond a single moment.

What Grief Looks Like in the Workplace (Beyond Common Assumptions)

It’s easy to assume grief only shows up as sadness or absence, but in the workplace it often appears in quieter, less obvious ways. Beyond absenteeism, grief can lead to presenteeism, when employees are physically present but not fully functioning.

Nearly half of employees report a decline in work performance following a loss. That does not mean they are unmotivated. 

It often means their sleep is disrupted, their nervous system is under strain, and their mental bandwidth is reduced.

Common workplace signs of grief can include:

• Difficulty concentrating or remembering details
• Brain fog and slower processing speed
• Increased mistakes or missed deadlines
• Fatigue or low energy, even after rest
• Irritability, emotional sensitivity, or shorter patience
• Withdrawal from meetings or team interactions
• Avoidance of certain tasks or decisions
• Reduced confidence and increased self-doubt
• Changes in attendance patterns or punctuality
• Less initiative or diminished engagement
• Overworking as a coping strategy (appearing fine while burning out)

What managers should not assume:

• Someone is over it because they are back at work
• Productivity reflects how much they care or are trying
• The employee wants public acknowledgment
• One check-in is enough

For more on how grief can show up and what supportive workplaces do differently, see How Workplace Grief Support Can Better Care for Employees.

What to Say as a Manager: Scripts That Help (and Pitfalls to Avoid)

What managers say, and how they say it, can make a profound difference. The goal is not perfect language. The goal is to reduce isolation, offer practical flexibility, and create a safe path for ongoing communication.

Stephanie Sarazin, a grief practitioner and author, notes that grief expands far beyond sadness and can show up as anxiety, brain fog, sleeplessness, fatigue, and changes in appetite, energy, memory, and mood. In a workplace context, that means a manager’s approach should be grounded, practical, and consistent.

Say this (simple scripts that help)

• I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’m here with you.
• You don’t need to be okay here. We can take this one week at a time.
• Would you prefer a private check-in once a week for a while, or should I follow your lead?
• If your capacity is lower right now, we can adjust priorities temporarily.
• Would it help to reduce meetings for the next two weeks?
• If you need to step out during the day, that’s okay. You don’t have to explain.
• What feels hardest at work right now: focus, meetings, deadlines, or something else?
• Do you want me to share anything with the team, or would you prefer privacy?
• I’ll check in again next week. No pressure to respond right away.
• If certain dates are coming up that might be hard, we can plan ahead.

Avoid this (common pitfalls)

• Let me know if you need anything.
• At least…
• I know exactly how you feel.
• It’s good to stay busy.
• Are you back to normal now?
• Tell me what happened.

First conversation checklist (5 things to cover)

• Confirm their preference for privacy vs sharing
• Ask what is hardest at work right now (meetings, deadlines, concentration)
• Offer one to two specific accommodations immediately
• Set a check-in cadence for the next few weeks
• Clarify boundaries and permission: you do not have to explain details

Follow-up cadence that works

• Week 1 to 4: short weekly check-in (5 to 10 minutes)
• Month 2: biweekly check-ins if needed
• Month 3: plan ahead for milestones and reassess accommodations

Some organizations support managers with training in active listening and boundary-setting through structured programs such as Corporate Partnerships, which can help leaders show up consistently and appropriately.

Practical Accommodations That Actually Help

Empathy becomes real when systems make support doable. The most helpful workplace accommodations are often simple and temporary, but they reduce pressure at a time when capacity is limited.

High-impact accommodations include:

• Temporary flexibility in start and end times
• Remote or hybrid options (even part-time, short-term)
• Reduced meeting load for a defined period
• Adjusted deadlines or narrowed priorities
• Temporary redistribution of high-cognitive tasks
• Protected time for therapy, appointments, or admin tasks
• A phased return-to-work plan if needed

The key is to keep accommodations specific, time-bound, and revisited rather than vague.

How to implement in a lightweight way:

• Pick one adjustment for two to three weeks
• Write down what changed and why (simple documentation)
• Reassess on a set date: what’s helping, what’s not, what do you want next?
• Keep the door open for small tweaks rather than large promises

HR checklist (lightweight but effective):

• Confirm bereavement policy details and any extended options
• Offer EAP or counseling resources privately
• Align manager and HR on what will be offered and when it will be reviewed
• Set a review date for accommodations
• Plan for milestones and sensitive dates if the employee wants that

Milestones at Work Birthdays Anniversaries Holidays and the Pressure to Return to Normal

Grief doesn’t follow a schedule. Significant dates can trigger renewed waves of emotion long after bereavement leave has ended. For many employees, what hurts most is not that others do not know what to say, but that nothing is acknowledged and the loss feels invisible.

Workplace-appropriate ways to acknowledge milestones (with consent):

• A private message: I’m thinking of you today. No need to respond.
• Offering lighter workload or fewer meetings that day
• Permission to step out if needed
• A quiet check-in the day before or after (sometimes the lead-up is harder)
• Being mindful of overlooked losses (miscarriage, infertility, pet loss, non-traditional family structures)

Simple scripts managers can use:

• I know this week might be hard. Would it help to adjust anything?
• I’m remembering what you shared about this date. I’m here with you.
• Do you want this acknowledged at all, or would you prefer privacy?

Some organizations choose milestone-based support options that help employees feel remembered over time. Timely Presence, for example, delivers personalized keepsakes on key dates as one way to reinforce that care continues beyond the initial loss.

Team Culture How Coworkers Can Show Up Without Performing Grief

Team culture shapes whether grief feels supported or isolating. Coworkers often want to help but worry about intruding, saying the wrong thing, or making it awkward. A supportive culture makes it normal to show care without forcing anyone into public emotion.

What coworkers can do:

• Send a simple card or short message without requiring a reply
• Coordinate a meal train (only if the person is comfortable with it)
• Offer coverage: I can take that meeting if you want
• Continue to include them without pressure: invitations without expectation
• Speak the loved one’s name if the employee has shown that’s welcome
• Keep gestures quiet and steady rather than dramatic or public

What to avoid:

• Public announcements without consent
• Forcing group moments or putting someone on the spot
• Repeatedly asking for updates or details
• Acting as if the loss never happened
• Assuming everyone wants the same kind of support

If you want a deeper look at how community affects healing, see Grief Shared: How Family and Friends Help Us Heal.

A Simple 30-60-90 Day Workplace Support Plan

A phased approach helps prevent support from fading after the first week. It also gives managers and HR a shared structure so the employee does not have to keep re-explaining their needs.

First 30 days: stabilize and reduce load

Manager actions:

• Ask about privacy preferences and communication style
• Offer 1 to 2 specific accommodations immediately
• Set a weekly check-in cadence (short, predictable)
• Narrow priorities and reduce meeting load where possible

HR actions:

• Share EAP or counseling resources privately
• Confirm policy options (leave, flexibility, phased return)
• Align with manager on what’s being offered and when it will be reviewed

Document:

• The accommodations offered
• The review date
• Any employee preferences (privacy, check-in cadence)

Days 31 to 60: reassess and refine

Manager actions:

• Review workload and adjust based on what’s realistic
• Check whether deadlines and meetings need ongoing reduction
• Ask one focused question: What is hardest right now at work?

HR actions:

• Reconfirm resource availability
• Support manager with additional tools or guidance if needed
• Consider peer support options if the employee wants them

Document:

• What changed
• What helped
• What’s continuing for the next phase

Days 61 to 90: plan for longer-term support

Manager actions:

• Shift check-ins to biweekly if appropriate
• Plan ahead for milestones or difficult dates (if the employee wants that)
• Reinforce permission: it’s okay if grief comes in waves

HR actions:

• Evaluate whether policies and practices are working
• Gather feedback (privately) to improve the system for others
• Clarify what long-term supports exist going forward

Document:

• What support will continue
• How the employee wants communication handled long-term

Without a phased plan, support can become inconsistent, and inconsistency is often what makes employees feel most alone after returning to work.

Building a Compassionate Workplace Presence Beyond Policy

Organizations that invest in ongoing workplace grief support often see stronger morale and lower turnover because employees remember how they were treated when life was hardest. This is not about creating a perfect program. It’s about building a culture where support is steady, practical, and human-centered.

Modern organizations are also widening their definition of bereavement to include previously overlooked forms of loss, including miscarriages and non-traditional family structures.

When care is inclusive and consistent, employees feel safer, more loyal, and more connected.

Care cannot end with a policy or a ceremony. Lasting support is the promise of presence, and it’s what helps teams heal and function together over time.

 If you’d like to learn more on turning that care into a consistent, repeatable approach across managers and teams, you can explore more here.