December 05, 2024

As we approach the holiday season, it’s easy to forget that, for some, it can be an extremely emotional and difficult time of year. Especially if they have lost someone close to them and are having difficulty accepting grief.

National Bereavement Awareness Week (December 2-8, 2024) is a timely reminder for architectural firms to review their own policies and ask what they can do to create a culture of support for grieving colleagues.

Why Caring Workplace Cultures Matter

Fostering a culture of compassion within the studio – by supporting a pre-prepared bereavement policy – ​​can make all the difference in how a team member copes with the death of a loved one. There are also broader considerations and sensitivities, which involve periods of illness or longer hospital stays.

Line managers and work colleagues should be able to offer greater support where practices have promoted discussion and understanding on this sensitive topic. Lauren Phillips-Brighouse, who manages Marie Curie bereavement support servicestates: “Bereavement is a fact of family life, but while every firm should have a clearly stated maternity policy, bereavement in an employee’s immediate family can leave managers without appropriate leave planning or flexible working, and can leave work. my colleagues don’t know how best to offer support.

Probably the most immediate need for someone who has experienced the death of a close family member is to be a compassionate listener, especially a sympathetic supervisor. Although no one expects line managers to have the skills of a qualified grief counselor, they can easily find advice online from care organizations such as Marie Curie to help a colleague through a difficult time.

“You’re not expected to be a grief expert or counselor,” Lauren reiterates. “But what you can do is make a big difference in your employees’ experience, as well as their ability to return to work. Use common sense and empathy to provide flexible support, tailored to the needs of the bereaved employee and the wider team whose workload may also be affected.

“For example, if your employee has said they won’t be able to return to regular hours for a while because they are now a single parent, you could discuss with them a flexible working arrangement that would work. »

Find out more about the new flexible working legislation

How to review a bereavement policy

End-of-life charities like Marie Curie recommend that employers have a bereavement policy in place that line managers and other staff can access to understand the support available.

Employers are legally required to provide two weeks of paid bereavement leave to an employee who has lost a child (or who has had a stillborn child after 24 weeks of pregnancy). Employees are also legally entitled to “reasonable” leave when a dependent dies or requires emergency care, although the law does not specify what a reasonable period would be and does not require that the period of leave is paid.

Most employers offer paid bereavement leave in situations where they are not legally required to do so. Marie Curie says its own research suggests that around 70% of employers offer paid bereavement leave beyond their legal obligations.

A typical bereavement policy may include:

• how much free time someone will be allowed
• if it depends on their relationship with the deceased
• when they can take time off – all at once, or flexibly over time
• whether this period of leave will be paid or unpaid
• whether they are allowed to take leave before a person dies.

The policy should also include information about flexible working and role adjustments where they are needed, as well as the support that will be offered when an employee returns to work. This will vary depending on the individual’s role and how responsibilities are distributed within their department.

Policies should always be flexible, as people’s reactions to bereavement can vary greatly. Care organizations say employers should not make assumptions about what will be best for an employee.

What employers should pay attention to

Some people may want to return to work quickly, seeing it as a way to distract themselves from grief and welcoming a return to routine. However, Lauren says managers need to be aware that bereavement can have a significant impact on an employee’s ability to do their job, their confidence at work and their ability to concentrate.

“There may also be important cultural aspects to consider,” Lauren continues. “Employers need to understand the different cultural and religious beliefs of their employees and it is good practice to let them take the lead in discussions about how they want to be supported. »

Firms can use policy templates available online as a basis for their own policies.

Lauren says employers can support bereavement policies by fostering a culture of compassion in the workplace. However, how you create this culture will depend on what works for your practice and your employees. They suggest:

• integrate death, bereavement and bereavement into your practice’s wellbeing plans – this could include various support offerings for employees and line managers
• consider where you can share with staff the importance of bereavement to your organization – for example, on your intranet site and as part of the new employee onboarding process.
• offer training to line managers on understanding bereavement, your bereavement policy and what to say when someone is grieving or when bereavement is anticipated
• encourage people to understand and talk about grief. This would involve working with staff who are grieving, who know what it is like and who can help develop solutions that will be most helpful.
• Larger organizations might consider creating a bereavement support network and presentation of a grief champion and his friends.

It is important to remember that everyone grieves individually and that grief is not limited to the loss of immediate family members. Conversely, those who are grieving should consult trusted friends, colleagues, and professionals, such as doctors and, if necessary, grief counselors. But it’s also important for managers and colleagues to listen, be considerate, and recognize that everyone handles grief differently.

Thanks to Lauren Phillips-Brighouse, Marie Curie Bereavement Support Service.

Text by Neal Morris. This professional feature was published by the RIBA Practice team. Send us your comments and ideas.

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