Grief is deeply personal, complex, and often unpredictable. When it occurs alongside professional responsibilities, the emotional weight can feel immense. Although many workplaces are beginning to recognise the need for compassion and psychological safety around bereavement, employees often still feel unsure how to cope; whether they are grieving themselves or supporting someone returning after a loss.
Communicating Grief: Why it matters
For someone grieving, communicating what you are going through may feel vulnerable, but it is an important step. Letting trusted colleagues or managers know helps reduce misunderstandings, creates room for support, and reminds you that you do not have to carry this alone. Grief can feel painfully isolating - even just having a shoulder to lean on can ease the emotional burden.
Understanding the Stages of Grief
Although grief is not linear, it can be helpful to recognise the stages often experienced:
● Denial
● Anger
● Bargaining
● Depression
● Acceptance
Knowing these stages helps people avoid self-blame and understand the shifting emotional landscape they may encounter. For example, during the depression stage, many individuals experience brain fog and a noticeable struggle with concentration and memory. This is a natural response to emotional overwhelm, not a personal failure.
Grief, the Brain & Emotional Expression
When grieving, emotional expression is not just cathartic, it has a grounding effect on the brain. Talking about feelings and naming emotions activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and problem-solving. This process helps reduce overwhelm and supports a sense of internal stability during a period that can feel mentally destabilising.
What Helps in the Workplace
● Offer gentle check-ins without pressure
● Allow space to talk, if they choose
● Be patient with productivity and focus challenges
● Acknowledge that this is a difficult time and validate emotions
What Doesn’t Help
● Avoiding the topic entirely
● Asking probing questions about the loss
● Offering clichés like “Time heals everything” or “Stay strong”
● Expecting quick emotional recovery
A Gentle Reminder
Grief has no timeline. I have worked with clients who lost loved ones a decade ago and still experience waves of sadness. Grief is not a problem to fix, it is a natural response to love. As I often remind clients, grief is the price for love; the emotional proof of how deeply someone mattered. The dark cloud does pass, and while it may return at times, it becomes lighter with compassion, understanding, and human connection. Workplaces that provide empathy and space for emotional healing help transform loss into resilience, reminding us that even in the most difficult moments, we do not have to face them alone.
