Experiencing bereavement is one of the most difficult life events an employee can face. Grief does not follow a neat timeline, and its impact can affect emotional wellbeing, concentration, attendance and confidence at work.
For employers, supporting an employee through bereavement requires compassion, consistency and professionalism. It is about balancing empathy with clear HR processes, ensuring employees feel supported while maintaining stability across the workplace.
Handled well, bereavement support can strengthen trust, reinforce organisational values and help employees feel genuinely cared for during one of the hardest periods of their lives.
In this blog, we explore how employers can compassionately manage employee bereavement, including bereavement and compassionate leave entitlements, communication during grief, and best practice for supporting employees when they return to work.
Are employees entitled to bereavement leave?
In the UK, there is no current general statutory right to bereavement leave for all employees. However, specific legal protections do exist, and employers should understand where these apply.
Bereavement leave typically refers to time off following the death of a loved one. In simple terms, what is bereavement leave will depend on statutory rights and an employer’s own policies.
Compassionate leave is often used more broadly to describe discretionary time off granted for serious personal circumstances, including bereavement.
The current key statutory entitlement is Parental Bereavement Leave, which applies where an employee has lost a child under the age of 18 or experienced a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Eligible employees are entitled to up to two weeks’ leave, which may also be paid, depending on eligibility.
Beyond this, any entitlement to bereavement or compassionate leave depends on what is set out in an organisation’s contract of employment or HR policies.
Because entitlements can vary, it is essential that employers clearly communicate what support is available. Uncertainty at an already distressing time can add unnecessary stress for employees and create inconsistency in how cases are handled.
Social sector employers should be aware that from 2027 the government will introduce a new statutory rights to bereavement leave which looks likely to introduce a minimum of 1 weeks’ unpaid leave for employees from day 1 of their employment.
What if my organisation doesn’t offer bereavement leave?
If your organisation does not have a formal bereavement leave policy, this does not mean support should be withheld from employees.
In these situations, social sector employers should consider alternative options, such as:
- Compassionate leave on a discretionary basis
- Annual leave
- Unpaid leave
- Temporary flexible working arrangements
Flexibility during bereavement can be particularly important, especially where employees are balancing emotional recovery with practical responsibilities. As explored in The Evolution of Hybrid Working: From Emergency Response to Strategic Advantage, flexible and hybrid working arrangements can play a long-term role in supporting employee wellbeing and helping people remain engaged during challenging life events.
While flexibility is vital, the absence of a clear policy increases the risk of inconsistent decision-making. Different managers may respond differently, which can lead to perceptions of unfairness and potential employee relations issues.
Introducing a clear bereavement or compassionate leave policy helps ensure fairness, transparency and confidence for both managers and employees. It also allows organisations to respond consistently while still tailoring support to individual circumstances.
Communication with employees during compassionate leave
Sensitive and respectful communication is essential when dealing with grief in the workplace. Understanding how to respond to employee bereavement and grief is critical, as a thoughtful, human response can shape how supported an employee feels long after the initial loss.
How an employer communicates during compassionate leave can significantly affect an employee’s sense of trust, security and wellbeing. Contact should be thoughtful, well-timed and led by empathy rather than process alone. Employees should never feel pressured to return to work before they are ready, nor should they feel abandoned through a lack of contact.
The aim is to strike a balance between offering support and respecting privacy. Asking employees how and when they would like to be contacted helps maintain appropriate boundaries while keeping communication open.
Good communication example
Effective communication during bereavement is calm, reassuring and clear. It acknowledges the loss, confirms what support is available and avoids placing expectations on the employee.
For example, a manager might make initial contact shortly after the loss to express condolences, explain what compassionate leave or bereavement leave is available, and reassure the employee that their wellbeing comes first and that work can wait. Importantly, this contact should not be overly detailed or process-heavy, but supportive and human.
Further communication can then be agreed at a pace that suits the individual. Some employees may welcome occasional check-ins, while others may prefer space. Agreeing expectations early helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures the employee does not feel pressured or forgotten. Ongoing contact should continue to focus on support rather than return-to-work timelines.
Handled well, good communication reduces anxiety, helps employees feel genuinely valued and reinforces trust at a time when they may feel particularly vulnerable or uncertain about how they are perceived at work.
Supporting different types of employee bereavement
Grief affects people differently, depending on the relationship with the person who has died, the circumstances of the loss and individual coping mechanisms. Emotional responses can range from shock and numbness to sadness, anger or exhaustion, and these feelings may change over time.
Dealing with grief in the workplace requires sensitivity, flexibility and an awareness that personal loss can affect people in very different ways.
Because of this, support should never be one-size-fits-all. Employers should remain flexible, avoid assumptions and recognise that two employees experiencing similar losses may need very different forms of support.
Supporting an employee who has lost a parent
The death of a parent can bring both emotional and practical challenges. Alongside grief, employees may be managing caring responsibilities for other family members, arranging funerals, dealing with estates or navigating complex family dynamics.
Appropriate workplace support may include short-term leave, flexibility around working hours, and temporary adjustments to workload or deadlines. Some employees may prefer structure and routine, while others may need reduced demands for a period of time.
It is important to acknowledge the loss with sensitivity, while avoiding assumptions about how the employee will feel or how long their grief may last. Open, supportive conversations allow employees to share what they need, while reassuring them that adjustments can be reviewed and adapted as circumstances change.
Consistent, compassionate support during this period can make a significant difference to how supported an employee feels, both emotionally and professionally.
Loss of an employee’s child or pregnancy
The loss of a child or pregnancy requires heightened sensitivity and careful handling. This form of employee bereavement can have a profound and long-lasting impact, affecting emotional wellbeing, confidence and an employee’s ability to function day to day.
Employers should be aware of their responsibilities under UK law. Parental Bereavement Leave applies where an employee has lost a child under the age of 18 or experienced a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Eligible employees are entitled to up to two weeks’ bereavement leave, which can be taken as one block or in separate weeks, and may be paid depending on eligibility.
However, legal entitlements should be viewed as a minimum standard rather than a complete response. Employers should approach communication with exceptional care, recognising that grief following the loss of a child or pregnancy does not follow a predictable timeline.
Support should extend beyond the immediate period following the loss. This may include compassionate leave, flexible working arrangements, regular and sensitive check-ins, and reassurance that there are no fixed expectations around recovery timelines. Ongoing support is often essential, as the impact of this type of bereavement may resurface over time, particularly around anniversaries or significant dates.
A thoughtful, flexible and empathetic approach helps ensure employees feel supported, respected and able to return to work when they are ready, rather than feeling pressured to move on before they have had the space to grieve.
Supporting the loss of other loved ones
Bereavement is not limited to immediate family members. Employees may experience deep and lasting grief following the loss of partners, extended family members or close friends, particularly where those relationships formed a significant part of their personal support network.
The impact of these losses should not be underestimated. For some employees, the death of a close friend, partner or relative may be just as distressing as the loss of an immediate family member, even if it is not formally recognised within traditional bereavement frameworks.
Inclusive policies that recognise diverse family structures and relationships allow employers to respond consistently while still applying appropriate discretion based on individual circumstances. This approach helps ensure employees feel acknowledged and supported, rather than having to justify their grief.
The focus should remain on empathy, fairness and clarity, with open conversations that allow employees to share what support would be most helpful to them. Clear, compassionate decision-making helps reinforce trust and ensures employees feel respected during an already difficult time.
How to support a bereaved employee’s return to work
Returning to work after bereavement can feel overwhelming for many employees. While some may welcome the structure and distraction that work provides, others may struggle with concentration, emotional fatigue or anxiety about expectations. Employers play a key role in ensuring this transition is supportive rather than abrupt, allowing employees to re-engage at a pace that feels manageable.
Practical adjustments can make a significant difference during this period. These may include:
- Phased returns to gradually rebuild working hours
- Temporary flexible working arrangements to accommodate fluctuating energy levels or personal commitments
- Adjusted workloads or responsibilities to reduce pressure while the employee settles back in
Open and honest conversations about expectations are essential. Managing these expectations collaboratively helps reduce anxiety and reassures employees that they are not expected to return to full capacity immediately. It is important to recognise that grief does not end when an employee returns to work, and that its impact may continue well beyond the first few weeks.
Regular, supportive check-ins should form part of this approach. These check-ins do not need to be formal or intrusive, but they do provide a valuable opportunity to ask how the employee is coping, whether adjustments remain appropriate and if further support is needed. Maintaining this ongoing dialogue helps ensure support remains responsive rather than static.
Creating a culture where people feel safe to be open about how they are coping is essential.
Employers who prioritise empathy, trust and consistency are better placed to support bereaved employees not just in the short term, but throughout their recovery, helping them feel valued, respected and supported as they regain confidence at work.
You can read more about this in our blog How to Create a Culture Where Employees Feel Valued and Supported.
How Roots HR can help you deal with employee bereavement
Managing employee bereavement can feel daunting, particularly when balancing compassion with legal and organisational responsibilities. Knowing how to respond appropriately, consistently and sensitively is not always straightforward, especially when managers are supporting individuals through deeply personal loss.
At Roots HR, we support employers to handle bereavement with confidence, care and clarity. Our approach is practical, people-centred and rooted in an understanding of the realities of sensitive workplace situations.
We can help you with:
- Developing or reviewing bereavement and compassionate leave policies
- Advising on employee entitlements and legal obligations
- Supporting managers with compassionate communication and confident decision-making
- Providing sensitive, case-by-case HR guidance tailored to individual circumstances
If you would like tailored support when dealing with employee bereavement, we are here to help.
As part of our social impact work, Roots HR offers up to one hour of free HR consultancy to social sector organisations. You can book your free one-hour HR consultancy session to talk through your situation, explore your options and discuss next steps.
Get in touch with Roots HR to discuss how we can support your organisation, your managers and your people through difficult times with empathy, consistency and professionalism.
