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It’s difficult to watch someone on your small business team grieve a personal loss. It’s also expensive. Recent data from the Grief Recovery Institute Educational Foundation puts a huge annual price tag of $75 billion on the cost of grief in the workplace.
To lessen the impact on a grieving employee and the business, companies should adopt a robust bereavement policy that supports employees through difficult times. Offering resources like paid time off after a loss lifts some weight from the employee’s shoulders and leads to higher satisfaction and retention.
The opposite is also true. The employer-employee relationship could be irreparably damaged if the company doesn’t make some room for employees to deal with loss in their own ways, without workplace eyes upon them. The National Council for Palliative Care and Dying Matters reports that one in four employees is grieving at any given time, and more than half will consider leaving their jobs if employers don’t provide support after someone they love dies.
Bereavement leave benefits are a tangible way employers can help comfort mourning employees both emotionally and financially. They’re a benevolent response that indicates the company understands employees may need some time off to manage personal feelings after experiencing a loss.
Beyond the death of a loved one – the most common grief-invoking life event, which affects an average of 4 million employees in the American workforce every year – companies are increasingly expanding the scope of losses covered by bereavement policies. Trending examples include also offering paid time off after a miscarriage or the death of a pet.
If your company doesn’t have a bereavement policy or hasn’t revisited an existing one in a while, consider including:
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However, some people feel as close to extended family – aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, for example – and friends as they do to immediate family members. Recognizing the importance of those relationships, it’s not unreasonable to include these “other loved ones” in your bereavement policy.
While they might not be mentioned specifically in your bereavement policy, two other considerations come into play when an employee loses a loved one:
While only a handful of states require employers to offer bereavement benefits – these do not include Kansas and Missouri – doing so still makes sense from both a business and a human perspective. No one can be expected to experience a significant loss and continue performing at work as though nothing is different.
A written bereavement policy that clearly explains related benefits makes employees feel supported and prevents unrealistic expectations in an already difficult time. Employees at companies without an official policy, for example, may assume PTO after a disruptive life event is automatic when in fact it’s not.
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If you’re unsure how to create or update a bereavement policy that supports grieving employees and serves both their and your company’s best interests, contact the HR services experts at Axcet HR Solutions. We have decades of experience developing bereavement policies and handling other critical HR needs for small business owners who want to cultivate a culture where thriving employees drive the company’s success. Schedule a consultation today.
Written by
Jeanette Coleman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the Director of Human Resources at Axcet HR Solutions, where she has contributed her expertise for over 21 years.
As a leader in the HR industry, she holds advanced certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Jeanette oversees HR strategy and operations, ensuring Axcet delivers exceptional HR services that help small and mid-sized businesses stay compliant and grow.
With a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kansas State University, Jeanette is well-equipped to lead and support clients in navigating complex HR challenges.
Throughout her 15-year tenure as Director of Human Resources, she has been instrumental in positioning Axcet as the Midwest’s largest and premier Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Her previous roles at Axcet include Director of Employee Benefits and Senior HR Consultant, where she gained extensive experience in HR outsourcing, payroll administration, and employee risk management.
Jeanette’s leadership reflects her deep commitment to helping businesses thrive through strategic, compliance-driven HR solutions. Through her writing, she shares insights on HR strategy, compliance, and best practices to help employers confidently manage their workforce.
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