Helping employees cope with grief; HR's quick, compassionate response to the sudden death of an employee's loved one can boost worker morale, loyalty and—ultimately—productivity - Employee Relations

HR Magazine, Sept, 2003 by Kathryn Tyler

On the afternoon of Aug. 10, 1998, Christopher Novak, then an HR director for a ceramic dinnerware manufacturer in Syracuse, N.Y., was in a meeting with HMO representatives when he got a phone call that would change his life.

"I remember picking up the receiver and barely comprehending the words," Novak says. The police officer told him that Cynthia, his wife of 14 years, had been in a car accident. Cynthia was seven months pregnant with their second son. Their first son, Ryan, was 9.

"After the call, I ran to tell my boss, the general manager of the facility," Novak says. "He told me he would drive me to the hospital. He sat with me for hours." The general manager was with Novak when the surgeon told him that both his wife and their unborn son, who would be named Hunter, had died.

Novak was devastated, but the outpouring of caring and support from his employer and colleagues helped. The vice president of HR flew in from Toledo for the funeral, Novak says. "He still sends me a card every August 10. His actions mean a tremendous amount to me."

Hundreds of people attended a funeral reception that Novak's employer coordinated. "My colleagues volunteered their personal time to care for my son while I ran errands," he hays. "Dinner showed up on our doorstep every night for six months, literally. My colleagues completely and willingly shouldered my work obligations to give me time to concentrate on my family. Their expressions of support meant a lot a t a time when my emotional energy was gone. I will appreciate that forever."

A death in the family--specially if it's sudden, because of an accident, perhaps, or a heart attack, a criminal act or suicide--can plunge survivors into sorrow and even depression, altering their work habits and affecting those around them. How an employer reacts during this vulnerable time can make a difference in a grieving employee's recovery. The HR professional's responsibilities include:

* Ensuring that bereavement policies are established.

* Helping the grieving worker communicate with colleagues.

* Helping co-workers express their sympathy.

* Helping the bereaved employee and his or her supervisor deal with any lingering productivity issues.

Stages of Grief

Although people deal with grief in various ways--one person might feel angry, another anxious--experts say it's a reaction that typically progresses through stages. Initially, there can be shock and denial, followed by anger, suffering and possibly depression. Next comes adjustment to loss, followed by acceptance and then reinvestment of one's emotional energy in other relationships. Some people may not move through all of those stages, and some may move forward and then return to a previous stage.

Further, the sudden death of a loved one brings additional complications, particularly if the death had a violent cause or is outside the normal order of events, such as when a child dies before a parent. The most critical factor for the bereaved, however, is that there was no chance to prepare or say goodbye.

"When someone dies suddenly, you have to deal with everything at once. There's no anticipatory grief" says Helen Fitzgerald, training director for the American Hospice Foundation (AHF) in Fairfax, Va., and author of Grief at Work, an AHF resource manual. "You don't have the chance to have the final conversation to talk about your life and what you meant to each other."

Also, the shock phase of grief may last longer for those whose loved ones die suddenly. People often misinterpret the shock, thinking the employee is OK, when, in fact, the reality "hasn't hit yet, says Fitzgerald, who is certified in thanatology, the study of death and psychological mechanisms for coping with death.

"When [someone dies], people might be apt to support you, bring you food," says Therese Schoeneck, executive director of Hope for Bereaved Inc., a nonprofit organization in Syracuse that provides support services for grieving people. "But when the reality hits, your co-workers have gone on about their own lives. Then it really sinks in."

Policies and Procedures

HR's most important task in helping employees overcome a sudden loss is to make certain there are policies and procedures for handling matters such as life insurance benefits, bereavement leave, emergency loans, leave-sharing and condolence gifts.

"HR departments must ensure that they are not lacking in their benefits administration procedures. This is not a trivial matter," says Novak, who gives speeches on moving forward through adversity.

At least one week of paid bereavement leave should be avail able, says Naomi Naierman, AHF president and CEO. Also, it is considerate to have a leave-sharing program through which co-workers can donate their unused personal time to a colleague in need. (See "Giving Time to Grieve," November 1999.)

Carol Hoffman, a licensed clinical social worker who manages the work/life program for the University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley), also recommends having an emergency loan program to help employees pay for funeral and related expenses. Although you should coordinate other thoughtful, personalized gestures for the bereaved, it is wise to send an official condolence gift from the company immediately.