How To Handle Grief In The Workplace | Hamel-Lydon Chapel & Cremation Service of MA

Experiencing the loss of a dear person can be triggering. Grief can take a toll on one's emotional and physical health, affecting one's overall performance at work. Although there is a lot of advice on handling grief, there seems to be little to no information on how to handle grief, specifically in the workplace. This article highlights practical tips to help you handle grief while working.

Signs Someone Is Struggling With Grief

Contrary to public opinion, people struggling with grief hardly express their emotions. Instead, they mask it by focusing on their workplace, so they do not process their feelings or express themselves to their friends, coworkers, and other family members. If you've worked with a grieving coworker, chances are they have subtly expressed one of the following:

Physical Symptoms: The common physical symptoms grieving people express include:

Lack of appetite
Headaches
Fatigue
Body tremors
Heart palpitation

Mental symptoms: In addition to these physical symptoms, grieving people can also express the following mental symptoms:

Low morale
Absent-mindedness
Distractions
Forgetfulness
Anger
Sadness

Tips For Coping With Grief At Work

Perhaps you are coping with grief, and you are finding it challenging to resume or adjust to your workplace; the following tips can help you cope:

Talk To Your Colleagues

As much as you don't desire to communicate with anybody, sharing your feelings with someone can make you feel better. Without proper communication, your colleagues are less likely to know about your feelings. We understand that making a company-wide announcement regarding your loss sounds weird. You can simply communicate with one or more of your close colleagues face-to-face via phone calls, texting, or social messaging. Talking to your colleagues will make them less likely to make insensitive comments or weird jokes, and it will also help you heal.

Forgive and Accommodate

Grief often overrides your ability to express other emotions, like forgiveness. Balancing out your feelings as you grieve is an essential skill to possess, as certain individuals will annoy you during these sensitive periods. Instead of taking their comments or behavior to heart, forgiving becomes an essential skill that can help you feel better.

Understand That Time Will Heal All Wounds

During grieving, you may blame yourself for certain events or put yourself down by isolating yourself. While these may sound like something you should do to feel better, isolating yourself can prevent healing. Understand that death is an alternative form of living, and though you feel hurt today, time will eventually heal these wounds.

Hamel-Lydon Can Help

Have you recently lost a loved one, and you are finding it difficult to adjust to life at your workplace? At Hamel-Lydon, we offer counseling services to people tackling grief. We understand how hard it is to move on and adapt to your daily schedule, even after losing a dear one. Reach out to us today to get consulted and learn how to tackle grief with others in your workplace.