The Working Wounded: The Impact of Bereavement and Bereavement Leave on Employee Performance and Wellbeing | Sessions

Bereavement (i.e., the loss of someone significant through death) and bereavement leave have a substantial impact in the workplace. Research by the Center for Creative Leadership shows that bereavement impacts job performance, physical wellbeing (e.g., absenteeism), and long-term job attitudes (e.g., engagement). Most employees report insufficient bereavement leave, which is related to lower employee mental wellbeing. This research, along with a supporting framework, will help decision makers establish (or modify) HR policies and practices.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the 'basics of bereavement,' including common grief reactions and prevalent misconceptions about bereavement (e.g., the 'five stages of grief' myth);
• Recognize the subtle ways that bereavement can impact employee and coworker performance and interpersonal interactions;
• Understand the impact of varying lengths of bereavement leave on bereaved employees and possibilities for structuring more flexible bereavement leave policies;
• Assess current organizational policies and practices for alignment with a suggested framework;
• Identify 'small win' ways to support bereaved employees.