Supporting a Grieving Coworker: Why Leadership Matters
When a coworker loses someone close, everything changes.
How leaders and workplaces respond in those moments doesn’t just affect the next few weeks. It can impact that coworker’s engagement, trust, and sense of belonging for years to come.
That’s why this month on The Burnout Hub, our Featured Resource is Week 48 of the Leadership Training Path:
“When a Coworker is Grieving the Death of a Loved One.”
Why Workplace Grief Response Matters
Grief doesn’t stay at home. When a coworker experiences the loss of a loved one, the ripple effects reach into the workplace. How leaders handle that moment can either build a culture of compassion or deepen disconnection and burnout.
Responding well matters because:
It communicates to employees that they are valued as people, not just workers.
It builds trust and loyalty during one of life’s hardest seasons.
It helps the grieving coworker return to work with a sense of safety and belonging.
Practical Ways Leaders Can Support a Grieving Coworker
In this short training, I share ways leaders can take meaningful action:
Show up with compassion without overstepping – presence matters more than perfect words.
Support both the grieving coworker and the rest of the team – loss impacts everyone differently.
Create space for healing while still navigating workplace realities – balancing compassion with organizational needs.
What’s Included in This Training
The resource doesn’t stop at ideas—it provides tools you can use right away:
📄 A downloadable reflection PDF to help leaders think intentionally about their response.
📖 A bonus download of my book on grief for deeper learning and personal growth.
Why This Training Is Part of The Burnout Hub
Supporting grieving coworkers is just one of the 100+ micro-trainings inside The Burnout Hub. Each week, leaders are given practical, real-world strategies to prevent burnout, foster resilience, and lead with compassion.
The 52-Week Leadership Training Path equips leaders to:
Build healthier workplace cultures.
Respond with confidence during times of stress and crisis.
Prevent burnout before it takes hold in their teams.
Organizations across the country are beginning to use The Burnout Hub to make sure their leaders have resources like this—when it matters most.
Start the Conversation
If your organization doesn’t yet have access to The Burnout Hub, this might be the right time to begin. Your team doesn’t just need policies or productivity goals. They need leaders who know how to respond when life happens.
👉 Explore this month’s featured content.
Because the way we respond to grief shapes not just the moment—but the entire future of our teams.
