Grief is a universal experience that impacts all of us and the workplace is no exception. In fact, the presence of grief in the workplace can take many forms, and its direct impact and ripple effects are experienced in many ways. Whether it involves the death of a long term employee, the terminal illness of an employee’s spouse, or a sudden traumatic workplace death, an informed compassionate response by the management team can be very beneficial.
The Employee Service Program (ESP) provides consultation to supervisors, managers, and HR personnel regarding grief related concerns pertaining to individual employees and work areas. An ESP Counselor will provide consultation, explore options, and identify strategies and resources that could be utilized to assist with grief related concerns.
Consultation regarding strategies on how to refer an employee to ESP for grief related issues is also available. ESP will also provide follow-up to ensure that the strategies and resources recommended have been helpful, and to identify additional options if needed.
ESP also offers a Grief and Loss in the Workplace session that can be presented to groups of employees.
To consult with ESP regarding grief related concerns, or to get more information about the informational grief sessions, management and HR personnel can contact ESP at 800-521-1377. ESP business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the exception of state holidays.
