So, let’s spend a little time talking about Workplace Grief and EAPs…
Every year in the United States, over two and a half million persons die, leaving an average of five loving survivors behind. That means that each year, almost thirteen million brand new grievers join a club that no one wants to join.
For so many, one of the difficult issues after a loss is the return to work. Fortunately, a few employee-centric companies have risen above the “get over it” attitude toward bereavement. They are beginning to understand the negative impacts of grief in the workplace and go beyond the standard three days of Bereavement Leave. Sadly, however, only three short days remains the average allotment after an employee loses an immediate family member.
Thankfully, there actually is focused support that may be offered to the bereft worker by some employers. Many organizations turn to Employee Assistance Programs, or EAPs, for help with grief. These outsourced programs actually originated following the end of WWII, as returning soldiers entered, or re-entered, the civilian workforce. Alcoholism also returned from abroad and was a frequent issue on the factory floor, sparking the idea for outside intervention in the workforce.
Regardless, today’s EAP plans often include a wide array of needed services, not only for substance abuse, but financial guidance and mental health support. Gratefully, the program generally extends to the immediate family members of the employee as well. Today, almost one-hundred percent of companies with over five-thousand employees contract out to an EAP provider. That percentage, however, sharply drops as the number of employees on the rolls does the same.
Both accolades and criticisms can be found for these special programs. Many critics cite the fact that EAPs are actually a third-party entity that often relies on other outsourced contractors for their specialized services, including mental health counseling. That brings several layers of disconnect between the employee and the company. The positives are many, but in this context, the greatest may be that many EAPs provide several free visits with professional support for participating employees.
Unfortunately, many leaders in an EAP participating company will
assume that simply offering the program is the end-all and do-all for a troubled employee. Once this help is offered, the poor soul will take advantage of it and soon be back to full productivity on the floor. What leadership fails to realize, however, is that the program is just a single tool in moving forward in grief, but absolutely not the total solution.
Any emotional help from an EAP is also conditional on the acceptance by the employee. A recent report from the Society of Human Resource Management, or SHRM, reveals that, on average, only three to seven percent of eligible employees will ever take advantage of EAP services when available to them. That’s a surprisingly low figure for a program that offers so much.
Perhaps the low participation rate comes from the false stigma in the American workforce that EAPs are predominantly for those with alcohol or drug abuse problems. Or, even with the assured confidentiality, there may be concern that supervisors and co-workers will find out an employee is seeking mental health support. Will discovery get one blacklisted from future opportunity or advancement? Absolutely not. Yet, the fear may well be there.
Another negative issue of EAP usage may be in the structure itself. Through the typical program, a participating employee will be offered weekly, bi-weekly, or even more infrequent appointments for emotional support. However, the negative impacts and influences of grief on the mind of the bereft employee can often be far more immediate. Those in need may not desire waiting several days, or even weeks, for much needed help.
Those free visits to an EAP-provided mental health counselor
are often limited to the employee, as well. After the free appointments have been exhausted, the desiring employee may be able to attend more appointments with the counselor, but the visits are no longer paid for under the program. This typically means that both the employee and the employer take a hit on the employer’s health insurance plan.
Today’s employers must understand that EAPs are only one tool for supporting their bereaved workforce. As of now, however, nothing much beyond these programs is being offered to employees who experience the loss of a loved one. Yet, a well-accepted grief study of over 25,000 bereaved employees reveals the impact. It tells us that grief is responsible for an annual loss of over $100 Billion Dollars in American business revenue. That’s a phenomenal cut to the bottom line.
Business leaders need to recognize that their grieving employees will be at work almost every day after their loss. Actually, the average employee will spend over 90,000 hours in a 
lifetime on the job. As a result, many will spend more awake time with those at work than with family members at home. And a commissioned study by the non-profit grief support organization, The Compassionate Friends, shows us why this is so important. Their workplace study revealed that a majority of bereaved employees will naturally turn to other employees on the job for emotional support.
Mortality is uncomfortable, right? Understandably, no one likes to voluntarily think about death. This is possibly why grief in the workplace is rarely discussed in board meeting and business planning sessions. Yet, all it really takes to fully support the bereaved workforce is an understanding and awareness of the influences of grief.
With understanding and awareness, proactive, reactive, and initiative-based methodologies can be easily implemented throughout the organization. And best of all, compassionately supporting the bereaved employee, as well as mitigating the cost of grief in the workplace, doesn’t have to cost a wise-thinking employer a dime.
To find out more about the impacts of grief to the bereaved employee, and the business community at large, take a look at my two books;
- Grief in The Workplace – Employer Edition
- Taking Your Griefcase to Work – Returning to Work After the Loss of a Loved One
If you would like a free, full .pdf version of either book, just send me an email and I’ll return the same with the file attached.
We need to get more support for our bereaved brothers and sisters on the job.
Peace and Purpose,