Bereavement Training in the Workplace, Can it Help Bridge the Grief Support Gap? A Qualitative Evaluation of Employers' and Employees' Views.

BackgroundBereavement is universal, whilst grief is a natural response to loss, it can have detrimental effects on physical and mental well-being. Bereavement support is not widely available, and workplaces could play a key role in providing consistent, equitable support.AimWe explored the views of employers and employees on bereavement training in the workplace.

Methods

St Oswald's Hospice, UK, delivered bereavement training to 343 employers and employees from 105 regional and national workplaces. Purposive sampling selected 16 individuals for qualitative semi-structured interviews.FindingsFindings were organised into four themes: unique challenges faced by employees and employers after bereavement; gap in training; need for tiered, bespoke training; requirement for policy change. Bereavement training in the workplace was seen as beneficial.ConclusionsThis study addresses a crucial gap in bereavement support by exploring grief training in the workplace. Policy recommendations include: in-house and external support and paid leave as standard.