wicklow county council guidelines to grief in the workplace
Post on 06-Apr-2016
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Wicklow Local Authorities
Guidelines to Grief in the Workplace
Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................................... 2
2. The Grieving Process ......................................................... 3
3. SupportingaBereavedStaffMember ................................5
• Liasingwithagrievingstaffmember ..............................5
• RemovalandFuneral ...................................................... 6
• ReturntoWork ............................................................... 6
• LongTermSupport ......................................................... 7
4. Breaking Bad News ............................................................ 9
5. DeathsAffectingtheWorkGroup ....................................10
6. ‘Difficult’orTraumaticDeath .......................................... 11
7. Being Prepared ................................................................. 11
1. Introduction
Bereavementisadifficultthoughnormallifeexperience,whichcanhaveasignificantimpactonthepersonwhosufferstheloss.Itisnotaspecialisedissueandmanagersandcolleagueshaveanimportantroletoplayinaccommodatingstaffmembersduringbereavementandintheirsubsequentgrief.
WicklowLocalAuthoritiesBereavementPolicyprovidesareferencepointformanagersandemployees,outliningstandardsatatimeofdistressforthestaffmemberandpotentialawkwardnessforthemanager.Aswithallorganisationalpoliciesandprocedures,a writtenpolicyensuresafairandconsistentapproachin managingsituations.Howeverunlikeotherpoliciesadegreeof flexibilityisneededininterpretingthepolicy.Circumstanceswill differandnotwostaffmemberswillhavethesameexperienceorneedsatatimeofloss.Noassumptionscanbemadeandno‘onesizefitsall’policyispossible.
Thisguidelinedocumentisintendedasanadditionalaidto managersandstaffcopingwithgriefintheworkplace.Itraises variousissues,whichyoumaywanttothinkaboutinassistingyourstaffmemberorcolleagueduringtheirtimeofloss.
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2. The Grieving Process
Griefisaprocessthattakesalotlongerthanwemightatfirstthink.Whileitisimportanttosupportpeoplearoundtheim-mediatetimeofloss,itcanoftenbesometimelater(3,6,9or12months)beforetheimpactofthelossbeginstosinkinandsomeofwhatweknowtobenormalfeelings,behavioursandreactionscometothesurface.Thesecanincludeanger,guilt,helplessness,loneliness,anxiety,withdrawal,fatigueandtensionswithothers.Whilenormalandexpected,thesegriefreactionscannonethe-lessbedifficultandpainfulforthepersonexperiencingthemandbewilderingforthosearound.
Griefhasoftenbeendescribedasbeinglikewavesonabeach comingandgoing,andsometimesoverwhelmingaperson.Foramanagerorsupervisoritishelpfultorememberthatthisisthe normalrhythmofgriefandthatamemberofstaffwhomaybeupsetsomemonthsafteralossisnot‘losingit’or‘notcopingwell’.Theymayjustbehavingabadday,whichispartofnormalgrieving.
Itcanbeeasytoprojectontothebereavedhowwethinktheyshouldbehave.Howeveritiscrucialthatabereavedmemberofstaffshouldbeallowedtoguidetheircolleaguesintermsofthesupporttheyfeelcomfortablewiththemselves.Forsome,workcangivearespitefromgrief,forothersworkcanbeanordeal,interferingwiththeneedtotaketimeoutforgrievingandtaxingmeagrereservesofconcentration,judgementandenergy.
Itishelpfulformanagersandstafftobeawarethatgriefcan impactonconcentration,energylevelsandproductivityofa bereavedmemberofstaff,oftenforlongerthanmaybeexpectedandthatsensitivityandunderstandingisrequired.ItisimportantthatthereisgoodcommunicationbetweenthebereavedstaffmemberandtheirLineManagerespeciallyaroundworkloadetc.
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IfaManagerorSupervisorisconcernedthenitcanbehelp-fultomakethestaffmemberawareofsupportservicesavailabletothem.WithinWicklowLocalAuthoritiessuchsupportservicesinclude:
1. TheDesignatedContactPeople-BereavementSupport2. TheStaffSupportService3. TheHumanResourcesSectionandsupplementaryinformation whichtheycanprovide.
ContactdetailsforthesesupportservicesareavailablethroughtheHumanResourcesSection.
TheGrievingProcess-Whattodo· Itisveryimportanttoacknowledgethebereavedperson’s loss.Itdoesnothelptoavoidpeople.· Keepitsimpleandsaysomethingthatreflectshowyoufeel.· Keepcommunicatingwithyourbereavedcolleagueaboutthe lossandconsultthemontheirpreferencesaroundwhatto saytocolleagues,funeralarrangements,returningtowork andmanagingworkload.· Peoplemaywishtotalkabouttheirgriefortheymaywishit toremainprivate-respectboththeiropennessandtheir reticence.
TheGrievingProcess-Whatnottodo· Donotsayanythingthatminimisestheperson’sloss.· Donotsayyouknowwhatthepersonisgoingthrough,as youdon’t.Eachperson’sexperienceofgriefisindividualto them.· Donotexpectthepersontobebacktofullproductivity immediately.Griefcanpotentiallyaffectallareasofjob performancefromlevelandqualityofwork,general behaviourandeffectivenesswithotherstoattendanceand timekeeping.
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3.Supportingabereavedstaffmember
WhereastaffmemberbecomesawareofthedeathofarelativeofacolleaguetheyshouldnotifytheirSupervisororManagerunlessthebereavedstaffmemberindicatesotherwise.ThisenablestheManagerorSupervisortonotifytherelevantDirectorofServicesorEngineerwhoshouldinturninformanyotherstaffhe/shedeemsappropriate.
TheDirectorofServices/Engineer(ortheirnominee)willalso liaisewithHumanResourcesandarrangeforcondolencestobesentonbehalfoftheLocalAuthoritywherepossible.Itmaybehelpfulformanagersandstafftoconsiderthefollowingwhenacolleaguehasbeenbereaved:
• LiasingwithagrievingstaffmemberBestpractisesuggeststhatdesignatingonepersontoliaise directlywiththerecentlybereavedemployeeensures continuityandenablesasensitive,personcentredresponsefromtheOrganisation.
ResponsibilitygenerallyresideswiththeLineManager,butitcouldbedelegatedtoanotherpersondependingonthe circumstances.
Makingtheinitialcontactwithabereavedstaffmemberisanimportantfirststeptowardsprovidingsupportforthe individual.Condolencescanbeformallyoffered,assurancegiventhattheirabsenceissupportedandanyparticularneedsidentified.Itcanalsobeimportanttoidentifyastaffmembers’preferenceconcerningcommunicationofthenewsto colleaguesorattendanceatthefuneral.
Thefirstmessagethatbereavedstaffmembersoftenneedtohearisthattheymusttakewhatevertimetheyneed.Workcomessecond.Somemaywanttocomebackrelativelysoon,whileothersmayneedmoretimeoff.ArrangementsregardingleaveareusuallymadebetweenthebereavedstaffmemberandhisorherLineManager.Fulldetailsofthevariousleave entitlementsarelistedintheorganisations’BereavementPolicydocument.
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• RemovalandFuneralItwouldbenormalforanorganisationtoberepresentedbymanagementandcolleaguesatthefuneralofabereavedstaffmember.Obviouslyanywishesofthebereavedstaffmembertothecontraryshouldberespected.Whereappropriate,careshouldbetakentofacilitateworkcolleaguesinpayingtheirrespects,asthishelpsboththestaffmemberandhis/her colleaguestobegintocometotermswiththeloss.
• ReturntoworkAbereavedstaffmembers’returntoworkwillbeindividualtothemandtheirneeds.Somemayfindithelpfultovisittheworkplacebeforetheycomeback,ifonlytoseetheManagerandmaybehaveachatwithcolleaguestobreaktheice. Comingbackpart-timeforthefirstweekortwocanalsoworkwellandshouldbeagreedinadvancewiththestaffmembers’Line ManagerinconsultationwithHumanResourcesandbyadvisementofaMedicalPractitioner.
Concentrationmaybeconsiderablyreducedintheearlyweeks.Wheresafetyisanissueorwheretightdeadlinesorotherstressfulsituationsareunavoidable,waysofprotectingthememberofstaff(andothers)intheshorttermshouldbe explored.
Thefollowingisalistofthingstoconsiderwhenabereavedperson returns to work:
Do· Acknowledgetheloss· Encouragethemtotalkiftheywantto· Respectboththeirreticenceandtheiropenness· Askandlistentowhatthebereavedpersonsneedsare· Beawarethatgriefisanaturalprocessofreactionand adjustmenttolossandchange· Beawarethatstrongemotionslikeanger,sadnessetc. thoughpainfulareanaturalandhealthypartofgrief· Beawarethatconcentration,energylevels,productivityand relationshipswithco-workerscanbetemporarilyaffected · Offersupport· Bepatient· Knowthatgriefgoesonforalotlongerthanyoumight think
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Don’t· Minimisetheimpactoftheloss· Reassurewhenwhatisneededispermissiontosharegrief· Limitthetimeinwhichsupportisgiven· Expectthebereavedcolleaguetobe‘backtonormal’quickly· Pressurisethemtogetonwithworkthatisnotessential
AsaManagerorSupervisoritisimportanttomaintainfrequent,andpreferablyuninterruptedcontactintheearlydays.A‘howisitgoing?’meetingisusuallybestattheendoftheshift,dayorweek,sothatifthepersonbecomesupsettheydonotneedtogobacktowork.
TheManagershouldnotforcethingsbutmakeitclearthatitisfinetotalkaboutwhattheyarefindingmostdifficultat,or outside,work.
Thelevelofsupportavailablefromfamily,friendsandothers outsidetheOrganisationshouldbeascertained.Ifextrasupport isneededtheManagershouldensurethatthebereavedstaff memberisawareofthesupportsavailablewithinthe Organisatione.g.· TheDesignatedContactPeople-BereavementSupport· TheStaffSupportService· TheHumanResourcesSection(ContactdetailsforalloftheaboveareavailablethroughHumanResources.)
SupportingabereavedmemberofstaffcanbedifficultandemotionalformanagersandcolleaguesandstaffshouldbeawarethattheStaffSupportServiceisalsotheretoprovidesupportforthemifitisneeded.
• LongtermsupportItisimportantthatsupportisnotwithdrawnsuddenly.Regularoradhocmeetingscanbegraduallylessfrequentandmaybequitelowkeyorintegratedintoothermeetingsbuttheyareanimportantmeansofcheckinghowthememberofstaffis coping.
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Bereavementcounsellingishelpfulforsomebutitiscertainlynotrelevanttoeveryoneandshouldnotusuallybethefirstportofcall.Theneedforitmaynotemergeuntilsomemonthsafteradeathorevenlonger,ifatall.
TheDesignatedContactPeopleand/orStaffSupportServicecanassistwithreferraltoappropriateservicesifthisbecomesnecessary.
Wherepossibleacknowledgeimportantanniversariessuitablyandsensitively.
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4. Breaking Bad News
Ingeneral,everyeffortshouldbemadetoensurethemost appropriatepersonbreaksthenewsofadeathinthemost appropriateplace.However,occasionallyitmayfalltoaManagerorcolleaguetoinformamemberofstaffofthedeathofhis/herrelativeortoinformarelativeofastaffmembersdeathorto informstaffmembersofthedeathofoneoftheircolleagues.Criticallythepersonassignedthetaskshouldbewillingand reasonablycomfortableintakingiton.
Thisisadifficulttaskforeveryoneinvolvedanditisimportanttoprepareproperlybeforemeetingthebereavedpersonorpeople.Thefollowingmaybehelpfultoconsider:· Thinkaboutwhomyouwillbetalkingtoandpractisewhat youaregoingtosay· Askanotherpersonthatyoutrustandfeelcomfortablewith toaccompanyyou· Ensurethatyouuseaprivateplace,whichiscomfortable andsuitableforthepurpose· Makesurethatyouhavethedetailscorrectandthatthe informationyouaregivingisaccurate· Beclearandhonestanddonotuseeuphemismslike ‘passedon’· Allowtimeforwhatyouaresayingtosinkinanddonot rush· Prepareyourselfforthepossiblereactionsofthestaff member(s)/relative(s)fromupsetanddistressthroughto calm· Allowthemtimetoexpresstheirreactiontothenewsand bepatient· ConveyyourownandtheLocalAuthorities’sympathyat their loss· AssurethemthattheLocalAuthoritywillbesupportivein whateverwayitcan· Ifthestaffmemberisonsiteprovidetransportforthemto wherevertheyneedtogoastheymaybeinshock· Ensurethattheydonottravelaloneandiftheydonothave apreferenceforaparticularpersontoaccompanythem appointsomeone· Finally,beawarethatthisisdifficultforyoutooandensure thatyouhaveadequatesupport
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5.Deathsaffectingtheworkgroup
Sometypesofdeathsmayhaveaparticularlypowerfulimpactoncolleaguesindividuallyorasagroupe.g.
• Thedeathofachildoryoungperson• Aviolentdeath• Thedeathofaworkingcolleagueorrecentlyretiredstaff member• Adeathoccurringatwork• Adeathbysuicide
ItisimportantthatanystaffmemberwhobecomesawareofthedeathofacolleagueinformstheirSupervisororManager.The SupervisororManagershouldtheninformtheirDirectorof ServicesorEngineer.ThisallowstheDirectororEngineertoinformHumanResourcesandforbothtoensurethatthereisan appropriateresponsethereafter.TheWicklowLocalAuthoritiesBereavementPolicyguidesthisresponseinawaythatproperlyacknowledgesthelossandsupportsthebereaved.
HumanResourceswillcirculatenotificationofthedeathofthestaffmembertocolleaguesanddetailsoftheremovalandfuneral.Staffwishingtoattendtheremovaland/orfuneralshouldbefacilitatedwhereverpossible.
Itisimportantthatstaffaregivenanopportunitytoformallyorinformallydiscussadeathofthisnaturesothattheycanexpresstheirsenseofgrieforloss.Ifthelossaffectsaspecificgroupofstaffitisagoodideatofacilitatethegrouptohavethese discussionstogether.Theymaywishtomakedecisionsinrelationtoimmediatearrangementsandalsofutureresponsescollectively.Thebereavementwillalsoaffectindividualmembersofthegroupindifferentwaysdependingontheirownhistoryofbereavementandrelationships.Insomecasesitmaybehelpfultoseekthesupportofanexternalconsultantorcounsellorwhocanfacilitatethegroupanditsindividualmembersinanumberofways.
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6.‘Difficult’orTraumaticDeath
Adeathofthisnature,whichmayincludeasudden,unanticipateddeath,aviolentdeathoradeathbysuicide,canpresentthesamedifficultiesasanotherbereavementbuttheintensityofthefactsaboutthedeathcanheightentheemotionalresponse.Thisis normalandnotsomethingtobediscouragedorfeared.Howeveritisimportanttobeawarethateventsofthisnaturehavethe potentialtocreatesignificantdistressandcanoverwhelmtheusualcopingmechanismsofthoseinvolved.
Atraumaticincidentofthisnatureisoutsidetherangeofusualhumanexperienceandcancauseunusuallystrongemotional reactions.Itmayimpedepeoplescopingmechanismsimmediatelyorinthefuturefollowinganeventanditmayimpairtheirabilitytoadjustandimpactnegativelyontheirwork.
Examplesofthistypeoftraumawouldbethedeathorseriousinjuryofastaffmemberoramemberofthepublicwherestaffmemberswerepresent.Ifsuchadeathoccurswithintheworkingenvironmentitmay necessitateaCriticalIncidentStressManagementresponse.InsuchacasetheOrganisations’HumanResourcesSectionshouldbecontactedasquicklyaspossibleinordertoensurethat appropriatesupportsareavailable.
7. Being Prepared
Itisinevitablethatdeathswillimpactontheworkplacefromtimetotime.IfatallpossibleManagersandSupervisorsshouldpreparethemselvestosupporttheirstaffthroughbereavementand subsequentgriefbyraisingtheirownawareness.TheWicklow LocalAuthoritiesBereavementPolicyandvarioussupporting documentsareavailablefromtheHumanResourcesSection.‘Griefatwork’trainingisalsoavailableonrequest.Managersand Supervisorsshouldthemselvesbeawarethatprovidingsupporttoabereavedmemberofstaffcanbedifficultandthatthe supportstructureswithintheorganisation,suchastheStaff SupportService,aretheretosupportthemtoo.
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Notes
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