Yes, this is a dark, terrible topic
but this is client k
and we don’t shy away
from dark, terrible topics,
especially the ones
many of us
will have to deal with
while building our businesses.
If you have employees,
at some time
in your business’ life,
at least one of them will lose
a loved one.
This is a very emotional moment
and everything tends to be
accentuated.
They could remember
your reaction
to this death
forever.
I know I remember.
I’ve left employers
because they reacted poorly.
I’ve stayed longer
than I should have stayed
at employers
because they reacted wonderfully
to terrible situations.
Some considerations…
1) This WILL happen
so prepare for it.
Decide now what your reaction
and your policies will be.
2) If employees tell you
about a death in the family,
that loss is significant for them.
Treat it as such.
3) Know legally
what you MUST do.
Every region has different laws
around bereavement.
Be familiar with these laws.
This is the bare minimum
you MUST do.
4) Be human.
Your employee is hurting.
Treat her with care and understanding.
5) If the employee wants time off,
give her time off.
Not out of her vacation time.
That’s tacky and cold.
Give her extra paid time
for whatever period you can afford.
Usually, this is a week.
Normally, she would use this time
to attend the funeral.
In these turbulent times,
she likely can’t attend the funeral.
She still needs time
to grieve
and to do the numerous things
that have to be done
when loved ones die.
6) Send her a card
and something else.
In normal times,
I would suggest flowers
or a fruit basket.
These aren’t normal times.
A food service
or a gift card could be options
now.
This card and gift
comes from the business.
Co-workers can arrange
something additional
but you should send
your own separate offering.
7) When she returns to work,
touch base with her.
Express your sympathy.
Evaluate if more actions
are needed.
Is she still wrapped up in grief?
Consider moving her
temporarily
to a role
that doesn’t require as much
brain power.
8 ) All of this
should be factored into
the cost of hiring employees
and the cost of doing business.
These aren’t ‘surprise’ costs.
They WILL be incurred.
We merely don’t know when.
How you and your business
reacts
to a death in an employee’s family
will help define
the future of your company.
Think about this now.